The Lost Warrior
by TheJSmooth
Summary: A mysterious figure has just saved Bardock from certain death at the hands of Frieza. Now the same figure has sent Bardock to a place called Earth Land… a whole universe away! Bardock awakens to find himself in this new world and must seek out allies in his quest to rid this world of the foes he was warned about. Welcome to the land where magic rules!
1. Prologue

**A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen!**

 **Hiya! Welcome to my very first story for the site. I'm a newbie author hoping to do right by my future readers and fellow authors. Sure, you're wondering if this story is gonna flop or is it gonna be a hit. Well for starters I've been a member for what seems like forever when really it's been roughly a year. I've read tons of amazing stories over my time as a member. Some were great one-shots while others were full blown books done by fantastic authors who had a great sense of vision. But enough about that.**

 **This is the story of Bardock and Fairy Tail. It started out as an idea from seeing the fact that there weren't enough good crossovers between Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball Z. Sure there have been a handful that has legions of follows and favorites but sadly we weren't given a complete story. I'm hoping not to fall in to that curse of bad luck so I'm hoping to do previous authors proud.**

 **So without further ado... to the Prologue!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **The Story of Bardock and the Saiyan Race**

 _Long ago amongst the stars…_

 _There existed an alien race of humanoid beings whose sole existence hinged on strength and power. They were vicious, ruthless and lived a lifestyle that would be deemed barbaric by the more "proper" races in the intergalactic community. These beings were known as the Saiyans. For a long time their culture thrived on conflict, conquering world after world and building up a large amount of wealth. And with all the wealth, resources and worlds, they held an immense amount of power._

 _Some time, around Age 550, the Saiyans settled on the Planet Plant and discovered that a society was already present. This society was the alien race known as the Tuffles. This was a fateful meeting due to the fact that the Tuffle race, who at first welcomed the Saiyans upon first contact, would eventually go to war against the Saiyans over their respective differences. This war occurred during Age 720 where the Tuffles were driving back the Saiyans with ease. For ten long years, the Saiyans fought with all their might in attempt to drive the Tuffles off world, suffering losses along the way._

 _With a stroke of luck, the Saiyans found a way to survive and ultimately win, driving the Tuffles into annihilation in Age 730. This was thanks to the Full Moon that would appear every 1000 years for Planet Plant, thus giving the Saiyans the power of the Great Ape. Following their victory, they eventually met other alien races who aided them in building a much more modernized society. It seems the Saiyans had nowhere to go but up. Tragically this wasn't the case for long, as their violent nature and thirst for power and glory ended up being their downfall._

 _Around Age 731, their home was invaded and conquered by the galactic tyrant Frieza who then ordered the Saiyan race to be a part of his army. Their strength was put to good use for six long years but it had a cost. One man amongst the Saiyan population experienced this first hand. This man's name was Bardock._

 _Bardock was a low-class Saiyan warrior who led a squad of four other Saiyan warriors. His duty was the same as the rest of his comrades: conquer a planet and convince the population to join. Or if the population resisted, exterminate them and simply hand the planet over to Frieza. One fateful day, a simple mission goes horribly wrong. On Planet Kanassa, the dying survivor of the Kanassan race strikes Bardock and gives him the ability of precognitive foresight. In other words… Bardock would pay for the sins of himself and the Saiyan race by seeing the past and the future collide in his mind and soul._

 _This incident nearly broke Bardock but he was more than determined to decide his own fate, regardless of the consequences to himself. After all, he had a loving wife, a son who served alongside the great Prince Vegeta and another son who was still relatively young given he was just a year old. He needed to change what fate would await his family and the Saiyan race or die trying…_

 _It is Age 737… (Or Age 739 according to the Manga)_

 _Bardock has lost his squad to Dodoria and Zarbon, by orders of Frieza. He failed in avenging them and has also failed in alerting the Saiyans to Frieza's betrayal. They won't listen or they just think that he's acting crazy. Given the circumstances, he has to make a stand. So he goes on to face Frieza… alone._

 **Prologue: The Lost Warrior's Last Stand**

 **Song Used: Reminded by Drowning Pool**

 **Age 737**

 **Above Planet Vegeta**

 **Frieza's Spaceship**

Frieza is in his ship, sitting in his chair as he observes the Planet Vegeta. It was only hours ago that he had murdered King Vegeta, just one part of his plan for the Genocide of the Saiyan race. Of course he still had use for Prince Vegeta and his personal squad, figuring having the last few Saiyan warriors on his side would be beneficial in terms of his galactic conquest. But he knew he would dispatch of them too, it was just only a matter of time.

Suddenly Frieza is alerted by one of his two most trusted commanders, the odd fellow with a weird knack for his beauty: Zarbon.

"Lord Frieza."

Zarbon made a quick bow motion before Frieza turned his chair around.

"Yes, Zarbon. What is it now?" Frieza asked albeit trying not to lose his patience.

"We have bit of a problem my lord. It seems that Saiyan we took care of before has survived."

Frieza raised a brow while sporting a frown. The Saiyan in question was threatening to rebel for reasons unknown to Frieza. What Frieza did know however that among the Saiyan people, was a "chosen one" of sorts that would achieve the ultimate power a Saiyan could attain and become a living legend. But that also means that individual had the potential to usurp Frieza and upset the order Frieza had established during his reign.

Frieza didn't think this lowly Saiyan rebel was going to fulfill a prophecy but if he was planting seeds of rebellion amongst the Saiyans…

"Oh? And where is he now?" Frieza asked genuinely curious.

"Well… he's heading here as we speak. Dodoria has already sent out the orders to guard the ship. But I'm afraid the hundreds we sent out there won't last long against this one." Zarbon said, disappointment and apprehension evident in his tone.

Frieza only chuckled at this. He then redirected his chair for a view through the window. Zarbon then walked to Frieza's right, arms still hanging at his side.

"Let's see how well he does Zarbon…"

 **Meanwhile**

 **Skies of Planet Vegeta**

Bardock knew time was running out. He raced through the sky as fast as he could, making up a plan as he went along. Given the circumstances, things couldn't get any worse for the Rebel Saiyan. His own people didn't buy into his warning on the threat Frieza presented, given he was the proof. The upper left strap and part of the chest plate was gone on his battle armor. He lost the sleeve he wore on his left hand and a good chunk of his right pants leg was also gone. Bardock was bloodied, bruised and lacking any energy to put on a sustained assault on Frieza and his men.

To add on to his problems, Saiyan security found that he had stolen a pod for his still infant son Kakarot. Not only that, Kakarot was readily being sent off world and no one could stop Bardock's plan. A plan he discussed with his wife Gine sometime earlier. However, he hasn't seen her in a while, especially since he just got back from near death and losing his squad. He didn't want to worry her, she and his sons were all he had left. Gine wasn't much of a warrior but she had a different kind of strength that made Bardock fall for her… hard. Her heart, compassion, intelligence and… love changed Bardock for the better.

 _("Gine… Babe I'm sorry. But I have to do this. Not just for us… but for our people. We deserve to suffer for all the pain and suffering we have caused, but I won't let it end like this. I will at least make sure our newest addition gets off world. Radditz… son know this… don't hold this against me if… when you find out the truth. And Kakarot…")_ Bardock's thoughts suddenly cutoff. His family… their faces had flashed through his mind. The vivid memories, both good and bad settled into his psyche. But he didn't have the luxury to think about them or the goodbyes he wouldn't get to say if he didn't succeed.

"No… not yet." Bardock said to himself.

 **[Start "Reminded"]**

He narrowed his eyes as he pressed on faster, breaking through the atmosphere. He had an adrenaline high and knew his body could give out at any moment. Bardock wasn't much of a prideful individual but knew the Saiyan blood running in his veins was part of his warrior persona. Being a Saiyan meant something to him. And he had to make that point clear to a tyrant trying to eradicate his people.

Bardock then felt the slight chill of space as he slowed down some. Suddenly his senses alerted him to enemies nearby.

 _("I can sense their power… how the hell is that possible? Is this from the Kanassans too? No, this something else. Regardless I have to take Frieza down. And I won't let his goons stop me.")_

"You bastards want a piece of me?! Come on! I'll take you all on!" Bardock yelled.

Soldiers only grinned at Bardock's apparent cockiness. They were eager for promotions and showers of praise from their commanders and Lord Frieza. But their eagerness would cost them dearly. Especially right now…

"RARGHHHHHHHHH!"

Bardock then roared as he powered up considerably. This boost would get him past the soldiers.

"For Lord Frieza!" one soldier yelled, rallying his comrades.

"Kill him!" another soldier exclaimed.

Bardock then made the first move. He flew forward, fist cocked back before knocking one soldier out completely. Next he turned to his left, shot a ki blast at a small group approaching from his flank. Three of them were killed when he lucked out when the blast went through their torsos.

 _("Hell yeah!")_

Bardock then jumped up when a soldier swiped at his feet; While Bardock was flying up and looking down at the idiot who tried to get the jump on him, he then side-stepped a punch from his rear. The arm he saw in his sights he grabbed and gave it good twist, shattering the bones and tearing the tissue making the unfortunate soldier scream in agony. His cries of pain were ended when Bardock delivered a haymaker to the middle of his face, destroying the soldier's scouter and nose in one move.

Bardock then picked up the pace and decided to up his game. His white aura flared around him as he spotted Frieza's ship.

 _("There!")_

He took off and the soldiers decided to rush him when they noticed where Bardock's attention had gone. One group was chasing behind him while another group formed a protective wall. Bardock then charged blue ki orbs in both hands while maintaining his flight pattern and threw them in without losing momentum.

One soldier dodged while the other was decimated. The victim was charred and bloodied and started his descent towards the planet beneath them all. Soldiers who witnessed this testament of power, found themselves afraid at the possibilities in front of them. They could either take the Saiyan down, possibly dying in the process. Or they could die without having done anything to slow him down. There was also the possibility of being punished for a piss poor job in dealing with a low-class warrior, even if they succeeded in capturing or killing him.

With beads of sweat on every soldier present they raced forward towards the speeding white bullet. But Bardock was more than ready to meet the challenge.

 **Meanwhile**

 **Frieza's Ship**

"Dammit…" Dodoria muttered to himself.

The Saiyan Dodoria had assistance in dealing with… the battered and broken warrior he left not that long ago on Planet Meat was now here. And not only that, he was coming for Lord Frieza's head.

"Where is this power coming from? Just how much stronger did he get since we dealt with him? This shouldn't be possible." Dodoria continued to talk to himself.

Bardock was taking out soldiers left and right like it was a warm-up. In under a minute he knocked out or killed 27 of Frieza's men (not including the ones he engaged since coming from Planet Vegeta) and barely broke a sweat doing so. Was it the rage of seeing his comrades killed? Or was it desperation trying to survive against impossible odds? Either way, if any Saiyan on Planet Vegeta witnessed this… Bardock would be regarded as an admirable and ballsy man or a complete reckless fool.

As Bardock continued to plow through soldier after soldier, Dodoria was alerted by a voice to his rear. He turned to his right to see Zarbon exiting the ship… and Frieza trailing him.

Dodoria sweat dropped noticing his fellow commander being followed by their leader.

"Zarbon… Lord Frieza…" Dodoria said fearfully.

Frieza was then allowed to pass by Zarbon once he stepped to the side. Now, Zarbon and Dodoria were standing on the right and left sides respectively of Frieza.

"Interesting. It seems he is much more powerful than you give him credit for."

Frieza kept his gaze on the battle all the while smirking. His subordinates of course were nervous and for good reason. Zarbon was merely watching Dodoria's back on Planet Meat when the commander carried out Frieza's orders. But he glanced over at his comrade seeing he had the same exact look of nervousness and doubt. Dodoria of course was watching Lord Frieza, not wanting to incur the wrath of his leader. He never had a death wish, same with Zarbon.

"But it is of no concern. Observe." Frieza said with confidence.

 **Between Frieza's Ship and Planet Vegeta**

 _("Damn, they just keep on coming!")_

Fatigue was finally settling in after five minutes of non-stop fighting. Bardock's senses were still razor sharp but his body was not going to last much longer. He needed to find Frieza and fast.

Bardock's thoughts were interrupted when he took a right cross to the jaw, saliva proceeding to fly from his mouth. He was a bit taken back by this but he didn't let it deter him. He was pushed back a few feet by the punch and prepared to retaliate, fists clinched in anticipation of paying back the soldier who clearly didn't care for his own life. But then it hit him…

 _("Wait… this power… it's him!")_

Bardock grit his teeth and turned his head and body wide eyed at the sight before him. Hovering only slightly above the spaceship was Zarbon and Dodoria. And right in front of them was Frieza, the traitorous monster he sought out.

With all his anger and might he yelled out, stopping the soldiers from attacking him further and meeting their demise at his hands. Or possibly Frieza's…

"Friezaaaaa!" Bardock shouted.

He flew forward and several dozen soldiers followed close behind him. He stopped to a considerable "talking" distance between him and Frieza's ship.

"You bastard! Why are you doing this?! We've done everything you asked! Why betray us?!"

 **[Pause "Reminded"]**

Suddenly just as those last few words left his mouth, Bardock has another vision. On the outside of his mind it seemed less than 10 seconds. Inside, it felt like a lot longer. He found himself hovering planet side, the sky and environment being different from the previous vision he had before seeing his son.

 _("Looks like a storm is brewin'… or are the skies naturally like this?")_

Bardock stopped his observation to spot what appeared to be his son facing off against Frieza. This version of the faceoff was much different than when he saw it while he was on Planet Vegeta.

Kakarot, known as Goku in the future, was no longer in his base form. Goku's hair was standing up and was a shining variation of cyan color and the irises were darker than the hair. Not only was Goku's hair different, the gi he wore before was different as well.

 _("Kakarot…")_

Bardock knew of the myth of the Super Saiyan. He knew that Saiyans had the potential to achieve this power but the way things were with his people, he had doubts that anyone could achieve that power. Still it was myth and nothing more for so long until the visions came. Bardock then realized his son could be the one to attain this legendary power for his own and use it to eventually defeat Frieza.

Bardock turned his head to the left and saw something that disturbed him slightly. Frieza had evolved and not only that, he had a golden form; Which could only mean that he attained a greater form of power that could rival Goku's power.

 _("What the hell?! This is different from before. My only guess is that we're on a different planet. Not only that, they're much stronger than before. They have to be… whenever this happens.")_

Bardock was then thrusted out of the vision, above Planet Vegeta, having an audience with Frieza.

 **[Resume "Reminded"]**

"Why you say?"

Frieza then let out a chuckle. Bardock narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth at Frieza's behavior. Deep down he knew Frieza could back the condescension he showed towards all opponents to his reign, but refused to be intimidated.

"I think it should be rather obvious by now." Frieza said matter of factly.

"So you think we have the guts to betray someone like you? Is that it?! Feeling threatened Frieza?! Is that why-" Bardock was cutoff.

"I did give the order to deal with your companions. I thought nothing of it of course."

"Bastard!" Bardock said clinching his fists tighter nearly drawing blood.

"You see Saiyan, I simply cannot allow the spark of rebellion to occur within my army. You and your fellow monkeys were merely hired muscle, nothing more. I used you to get what I want and now your usefulness is at an end." Frieza explained.

"Why you…!" Bardock was then cutoff again.

"If you don't believe me ask your king. Although I doubt he could take any questions right now. Seeing how our poor King Vegeta is currently… indisposed."

Bardock was then shocked to the core. He thought of only one possibility that originated from Frieza's claims.

"You were going to annihilate us from the start…" Bardock started out.

His mouth agape, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights. Sweat was coming off of him only slightly and his sore body was not helping the feeling he had in his gut.

"And you killed our King… my squad…" Bardock then clinched his fists and shut his eyes tight.

"If it's any consolation, they died with what little pride I allowed them to have. Be grateful their deaths were as merciful as I allowed them to be."

Frieza continued to smirk while his commanders held a scowl towards the Saiyan rebel.

Bardock looked up, eyes open and for the first time since Planet Meat… he smiled. Now was the time to make his stand. His right hand came up, arm bent at chest level almost. His left arm hung by his side, slightly bent and fist still clinched. His adrenaline was going again and he was ready to make Frieza pay for everything.

"Your fear and paranoia will end you someday Frieza. No doubt about it. You underestimate us. We are a warrior race for a reason. Our pride as warriors won't allow us to bow down to you anymore! You hear me?!" Bardock said before letting off a low chuckle.

Frieza then slowly lifted his hand so that his right pointer finger was pointing up. A small bright orange ki orb was forming at the tip.

"Yeah… that's it."

Bardock formed a decent sized blue ki orb in his right hand.

"We don't fear you anymore Frieza. For the king… for my team… for my family…" Bardock listed off before pausing.

Bardock cocked his right arm back ready to take Frieza out in one shot using his Final Spirit Cannon. Frieza continued to sit in silence as he anticipated delivering the killing blow to Bardock's false confidence. His sinister grin didn't deter the rebel from the path they were going to take.

"For all the people who suffered at your hands... and especially for me… this is for all the pain that you've caused! Here have it!" Bardock exclaimed launching his attack.

Frieza then started to laugh maniacally as his Supernova attack expanded exponentially in seconds. Once it expanded to full size, the Supernova consumed Bardock's attack effortlessly causing Bardock to react just as Frieza predicted.

"What?! No way!" Bardock shouted in shock.

Frieza's maniacal laugh was nearly muted by the sound of his Supernova proceeding forward unimpeded, taking hundreds of his own men out in the process. All poor Bardock could do was cross his arms in an x-shaped pattern to try to lessen the damage of the attack, shutting out the thought that he was going to die in the next few moments.

 _("Shugesh… Borgos…Fasha…")_

The attack inched closer as Bardock felt the heat pierce his skin and strip away his right armband. He grit his teeth in agony as his mind was finally starting to catch up to the reality of his situation.

 _("Tora… my friend…")_

As the ball of energy hit him like a raging meteor, some more of Bardock's clothes started to burn away. His eyes widened at the pain he was experiencing.

 _("Radditz…")_

His regrets and fears started to flood his mind but his body and soul refuse to break. The sheer force of the attack Frieza sent was pushing him towards the planet and it would only take maybe a minute before he would join his fellow Saiyans in the afterlife.

 _("Gine…")_

"Dammit…"

 _("Kakarot…")_

"My son… lives on…" Bardock muttered to himself.

 _("Is this really… the end…?")_

Bardock then screamed in agony as the attack consumed his body, sending him into his homeworld.

Frieza of course enjoyed his handiwork as Zarbon and Dodoria simply stared in awe… and fear. Frieza's power could not be matched and those two were fortunate enough to work for him.

The Saiyan race had met its end moments later when Planet Vegeta exploded, leaving no trace of the Saiyan who tried to rescue his people or even the people themselves. Although Kakarot was sent to Earth and Prince Vegeta was off world with his own squad, the Saiyan race was all but extinct. Four survivors now had to carry forward the Saiyan Legacy as the story of Dragon Ball… starts here. As for Bardock…

 **[End "Reminded"]**

 **Unknown Time**

 **Unknown Dimension**

Bardock was floating horizontally, unconscious given what he just went through.

"…"

Bardock's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Hm?"

Bardock then slowly oritented himself while ruffling his hair with his right hand. He then got a good look around his surroundings. All he could see was white space mixed with a colorful aura or fog. But whatever this smoke, aura or fog was, it wasn't dense enough to obstruct his vision. He could see the nothingness for miles on end which made him think.

"Am I dead?"

Bardock checked himself to see that his Saiyan battle uniform was restored and his body was fully healed. He even felt stronger than before, oddly enough.

"Did I end up in Hell or…" Bardock trailed off.

He then closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. He then let out the breath he held for a good three seconds and opened his eyes. Bardock straightened his posture and then crossed his arms across his chest.

"No… there is no way this is the afterlife. Which means… I survived what happened."

But then Bardock looked down in frustration continuing to voice out his thoughts.

"But if that's the case… just where the hell am I? And how the hell did I get here?"

Bardock closed his eyes for a moment. He then decided for kicks to run through his memories as a way to pass the time. Even though it pained him to relive everything up to what was his last moments, he needed something to alleviate the stress of being alive but in a place he had no way out of.

Minutes pass and just as Bardock was going to drift asleep, his senses were telling him to check for people again. Bardock opened his eyes and right in front of him was a mysterious figure covered in a bright red glow.

 _("A Saiyan… He has a tail and the hair is definitely a giveaway.")_

Bardock uncrossed his arms and floated over to be several meters away from his new companion.

"You're new here too?" Bardock asked.

The figure simply kept his fists at his side and gave no response.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Bardock then gave the figure another look over.

 _("Ain't much of a talker are ya?")_

"Maybe you can help me out. This place… what is it?" Bardock asked while looking around his surroundings again.

The figure suddenly reached behind his back and brought forth a scroll. Bardock saw this and his eyes widened slightly.

 _("Okay… maybe that might help me out.")_

The figure walked on air and held out the scroll with his right hand. Bardock took this cue and nodded his head. He then took the scroll and floated back a small distance.

With his body turned to the side, Bardock opened the scroll and his eyes widened to the size of saucers after reading several of the passages.

 _("What?! This can't be right?! Can it?")_

Bardock continued reading, albeit still maintaining the shocked expression on his face. In the scroll, he learned not only that he was saved but pulled into an alternate dimension by the figure standing in front of him. Additional information also revealed that he was being sent to another universe to quell the threats leaking into a place called "Earth Land".

 _("So I'm just a hired gun again… is that it?!")_

"Dammit!"

Bardock threw the scroll to the side as rage and confusion clouded his judgement. He had a hard time believing what he was just told. Not only that, he by no means wanted to do someone's bidding to accomplish a goal, good or bad. Yes he was selfish when it came to the survival of his son and avenging so many lives lost thanks to Frieza's thirst for power. But he was no hero and he never really wanted to be. He fought for his own reasons and his own motivations and that was enough.

"I don't serve you! So you can take this offer of yours and shove it up your-" Bardock was then cutoff by a blinding light.

The mysterious figure opened up his right palm, fingers straightened as a orb of light shined in front of Bardock. Said man then noticed the light was consuming everything around him, even though he did his best to protect his eyes with his arms, something was telling him this wasn't going to end well.

 _("What now?")_

This was Bardock's last set of thoughts before the light consumed him, sending him to where he was going regardless if he did so willingly. He's about to go on a journey that will lead him to redemption for the sins of his past and a chance to re-write his own destiny.

* * *

 **A/N: So that happened.**

 **Fans of the entire series should know by now that Saiyans are far too stubborn to die. That and they have what every soldier and warrior needs... luck.**

 **You guys are probably wondering, how does the prologue affect the overall story with regards to the Dragon Ball Timeline? What villains might appear in Bardock's new quest for redemption? And what surprises await him in the world known as Earth Land?**

 **Let the speculation, comments, snarky remarks and criticisms commence in the comment section.**

 **See ya later!**


	2. Lost Warrior's Arrival

**A/N: Hola Amigos!**

 **Welcome back to the story for previous viewers/readers and any new followers!**

 **Now you're probably where I'm going to go with this story right? There's already speculation of who the villains might be. Unfortunately I can't reveal who Bardock will be fighting in each story arc. But be happy to know that I've got the bare bones of this story all the way up to The Tower of Heaven Arc. There won't be DBZ Villains in every arc but they will be working behind the scenes just to give you a glimpse as to who is doing what and why.**

 **That aside, I'm aiming for updates every week or every two weeks due to how much planning I put into this first major story of mine. My other project is a Fairy Tail story mixed with several OCs and a different outcome. Not only that it features elements from several games and other anime as well. But if you want to know more about that story... stay tuned.**

 **With all that being said, as a bonus for getting a favorite, follow and review for this story I'm releasing this chapter a bit early as a thank you for those who read the prologue.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **July 2, X784**

 **Hargeon, Kingdom of Fiore**

 **A random Alleyway**

A grey cat is sniffing the ground looking for food. As he passes the midway point of the alley, he picks up a scent but it's not food. On closer inspection the scent is that of a strange man nearby. The cat then picked up his pace to that of a jog for a few seconds before stumbling upon the man who was lying against the wall unconscious.

Both eager and curious to greet this stranger, the cat hopped into the man's lap and stretched his body across the man's torso. He then licked the man's chin to wake him up.

"Ugh…hm?"

Bardock was a bit groggy. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that there was an animal on his torso. The said animal hopped off and sat nearby waiting on Bardock to stand up.

"Oh… a cat." Bardock said now awake.

He stood up and stretched his arms out, making a cracking sound while doing so. He then rolled his shoulders and rotated his right arm in a circle. To finish getting the blood going in his upper body, Bardock then clinched his left fist before punching the air in front of him. He then brought his left hand back before letting out an approving grunt. Bardock looked down to his left at the ground to see the furry creature that woke him up.

"Thanks for waking me up little guy. Too bad I don't have any food for ya." Bardock said thanking his furry companion.

The cat meowed a response making Bardock smile slightly and let out another grunt. His smile only lasted a few seconds once he started to get a feel for the energy around him. Bardock then turned his head to his right where the alley led to the street and decided to walk towards it. Upon exiting the alleyway, he started looking around noticing that there were a few people nearby.

He also took note that there was smoke off in the distance.

"Great… just great. First I wake up in a damn alley and now I'm stuck in some weird other world a whole freakin' universe away from my son."

Bardock clinched his right hand tight and looked at it. He gritted his teeth in frustration knowing his situation was complicated and how long it would take to fix it.

"And I didn't get many answers from that guy. But the next time I see him…" Bardock trailed off.

He let his right hand go back to his side before taking a deep breath while closing his eyes. He exhaled and opened his eyes to focus back on his current predicament.

"Something tells me I'll see him again. He brought me here for a reason, might as well see it through. Especially if I get to have some fun out of whatever this is. Speaking of which…" Bardock trailed off again.

He sensed a surge of energy in the distance. His thirst for a good fight made him want to go find a worthy opponent. So he took off and flew high enough to look around the city. His sights were then fixed upon the harbor where a large boat had apparently been run aground.

 _("It's coming from over there. Looks like I won't have to look far for a fight… hehe…")_ Bardock thought smirking both inside and out.

He then flew over to the location of the disturbance.

 **Harbor**

 **Minutes later**

 **Near Bora's shipwrecked boat**

"I'm going to make you pay you faker!" Natsu shouted.

Natsu Dragneel. Fire Dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail and the adopted son of a dragon whose name was Igneel. This young man uses a lost art of magic that very few practiced across the land.

Currently he had just saved a nice young blonde girl from the clutches of a man who was none other than the disgraced wizard Bora. The young girl in question went by the name Lucy. She herself was a wizard but had no guild to call her own yet. Of course Natsu remembered during his rescue of her that she wanted to join the very guild he was a part of. It was her dream and before the night was over, he was going to make that dream happen.

Lucy of course will get her chance… once Natsu's done getting carried away.

"So you're the real Salamander eh? Thanks to you I have to start over! I don't care what your power is but I will make sure you fall at my feet!" Bora exclaimed in clear defiance.

"Seriously? First off your fire sucks." Natsu said nonchalantly.

Bora only sweat dropped and looked offended by the statement from the pink haired mage.

"Excuse me?!" Bora shouted in irritation.

"Second…" Natsu trailed off before pointing behind him with his left thumb while his right hand was on his hip.

"Your goons already found out the hard way never to mess with a Fairy Tail wizard, so just make this easy on yourself and take your beating like a man." Natsu said holding his confident smirk.

A vein and a tick mark appeared on Bora's forehead, he was more than fed up with the apparent cockiness of this kid. Yes the kid can beat a guy like him easy but the way he was going about had his anger clouding all judgement and good sense.

Natsu was of course provoking Bora on purpose so he could finish the fight quickly. However something caught his eye and his senses and while in a defensive stance, he simply stopped.

"Natsu? Buddy you ok?" Happy asked curious and confused.

"Natsu? What is it?" Lucy asked thinking along the same lines as Happy.

Natsu looked at Bora with slightly widened eyes but kept his mouth shut. He then looked up and mouth fell open slightly. For the first time in a long time he was a bit nervous. Lucy and Happy of course noticed their companion's reaction and looked up as well.

"Whoa!" Happy exclaimed.

"Hold on… who is that?!" Lucy said in shock.

Bora was confused by the trio's behavior so he too looked, turning around while doing so. His mouth fell open and a bead of sweat appeared on his temple.

Hovering a dozen meters or so above the battle of fire mages was a mysterious man with unkempt, spiky black hair and wearing a red head band/ bandanna. Note he was also sporting a cross or x-shaped scar on his left cheek. He wore what appeared to be a battle suit of some kind and… wait is that a tail or something wrapped around his waist? Questions swirled in the minds of those present, including the witnesses nearby. One thing is for sure… this mystery man didn't look friendly.

"Ok then. Which one of you did all this damage?" Bardock asked with a scowl.

 _("Who the hell is this guy? And why is he interfering in my fight?!")_ Bora thought in anger.

 _("This guy looks strong… feels strong too. But who is he?")_ Natsu wondered keeping his cool.

 _("Something's off here. Just who is that guy and where did he come from?")_ Lucy wondered a bit nervously.

Bardock uncrossed his arms after spending the previous few minutes observing the interaction between Natsu and Bora. He then made his descent down slowly before landing gracefully one foot at a time.

"I asked a question. Only one of you should be able to answer."

Bardock was both eager and impatient. He needed someone to fight to calm his nerves. He's in a strange new world and he needs as much information as possible. But at the moment he needs to do the one thing he's good at to help make himself more comfortable in this situation.

"You're looking at him." Natsu said with his signature grin.

 _("Kid's got confidence. And the power he's packing… there's no doubt he did this.")_ Bardock thought as he responded to Natsu's words with a smirk.

"Good. Then that means you and I can fight." Bardock said smirking while he then brought his right fist into his left palm.

"Hold on what?" Natsu said genuinely confused.

"Huh?!" Lucy and Happy said in unison.

Bardock let out a chuckle as he walked forward cracking the knuckles in hands.

Natsu stopped him dead in his tracks by holding his left hand open palm style and his right hand being on his hip.

"Hm?"

"Sorry man but I got to deal with this guy first. He kinda caused me a lot of grief so I need to get some payback." Natsu explained.

Bardock of course crossed his arms and nodded his head in Bora's direction.

"This weakling over here? What exactly did he do?" Bardock asked.

"Hey!" Bora shouted in clear anger for being ignored and now insulted… again.

"He pretended to be me and pretended to be a member of Fairy Tail." Natsu explained while crossing his arms similar to Bardock.

"And he runs a human trafficking ring!" Happy shouted.

"Yeah! And he tried to kidnap me and sell me!" Lucy yelled.

Bardock then narrowed his eyes and turned his body so his left side was facing Natsu and his right side was facing Bora. His head tilted forward to process what he was just told and just exactly who he was dealing with.

 _("Ok this boy has a talking cat for starters… which isn't the weirdest thing I've dealt with. Second this guy over here is scum. Of course that's not saying much considering I wasn't any better. He probably hasn't had to kill anyone I bet.")_ Bardock thought inside his head.

He then closed his eyes to grip the situation better.

 _("I'll deal with the scum over here first, then I'll get my fight. And after my fight, I'll get this kid to help me out. Hehe… it's a win all around.")_ Bardock smirked at this thought both internally and externally.

He opened his eyes and turned so his back was to Natsu.

"Yo scum! What's your name?" Bardock asked now sporting an intimidating scowl.

Bora lost it now. He has had his pride insulted and his plans ruined by not just Natsu Dragneel but this new guy. How dare he speak ill of him!

"My name is Bora of Prominence you worm and I will not tolerate-" Bora had just spoken his last words before Bardock effectively dealt with him.

Bardock shot forward faster than anyone anticipated and planted his left hand hard in Bora's gut. Bora's reaction was just as expected by the Saiyan. Bora's eyes were completely white and a combination of drool and foam came out the dastardly wizard's mouth. The pitiful Bora then fell forward with his face sideways in the dirt, unconscious and maybe even comatose.

Bardock of course chuckled at this and stood upright, bringing his left hand back to his side.

"For scum I thought you'd be stronger." Bardock then changed his expression from a satisfied grin to a scowl.

"Hmph. Pathetic." Bardock said walking back towards Natsu.

"Alright kid, it's just you and me now." Bardock said before taking his battle stance.

Of course Natsu was bit offended for the un-needed help. But at the sight of Bardock's one hit knockout, he grew eager to see how strong this stranger was. Natsu took a battle stance as well and his fists were now ignited in his fire.

"Sure! Why not? I ain't got nothing better to do now." Natsu said with a grin.

"Wait a minute Natsu! Don't you think this is a bad idea? I mean you've already overdone it with the town…" Lucy said even more nervous than before.

"Natsu overdid it alright." Happy said jokingly to Lucy.

"Relax guys. Just giving this guy what he wants. Who am I to turn down a good fight? Right pal?" Natsu said glancing over to his partner.

"Aye Sir!" Happy said cheerfully.

"Well… just be careful Natsu." Lucy said with her right hand over her chest.

"Just gonna have some fun with this guy and we'll be on our way." Natsu said with his full attention back on the man before him.

Bardock held his intimidating scowl as he stood several meters in front of Natsu.

Natsu of course clinched his fists tight, anticipating someone to make the first move.

The sound of the ocean waves and burning fires occupied the ears of those present in the harbor. Except the unfortunate Bora who could be considered comatose at this point.

The stalemate broke when Bardock took the initiative and shot forward with a right cross to Natsu's face. Natsu was able to dodge this and crouched down cocking back his right hand, shooting for Bardock's face in retaliation for the punch just attempted with a jab. Bardock only moved his head and caught Natsu's flaming fist with his left hand, shocking Natsu for a moment. Bardock looked from Natsu's fist in his hand to Natsu's shocked expression before quickly raring his right leg back and kicking Natsu hard in the gut. Natsu had spittle come out his mouth, letting out a gasp before finding himself shot high into the sky.

"Natsu!" Lucy and Happy shouted worriedly. Natsu had it way too easy fighting Bora and his men but found himself on the ropes almost instantly in this fight. His new opponent… was maybe too strong for even him.

Bardock took advantage and flew high into the sky where he appeared right behind a stunned Natsu. He brought his hands together, ax handle style and brought them down on Natsu's back. The impact could be heard from the ground and Natsu was sent into the ground in front of Lucy and Happy, creating a small crater.

Bardock made a slow descent, before stopping several meters above the ground behind Natsu's comrades. Lucy and Happy meanwhile rushed into the small crater to check on their friend.

"Natsu!" Happy said voice full of worry.

"Natsu please be alright!" Lucy said fearfully.

Natsu was slowly raised himself off the ground with his hands. He was going to be sore tomorrow and he knew it. He knew he was lucky because it could have been worse.

"Ow…" Natsu muttered.

Lucy rushed to Natsu's left side and put her right hand his back and left hand on his forearm doing her best to physically support him.

"Try not to move too much Natsu."

Natsu looked over to his left and shot her a small smile, still being positive.

"Don't worry I'll be fine. But thank you though, really." Natsu said still smiling.

Lucy instantly blushed at Natsu's gratitude. But she kept her reaction under control and smiled back at him, a pink tinge still present on her features.

"Of course!" Lucy said while nodding at the boy.

Happy sighed in relief and pat his best friend's right arm.

"Man you got beat Natsu." Happy said in faux disappointment.

"Hey!"

Before Natsu could come up with a clever retort, Bardock was standing behind them on the edge of the crater. He got their attention rather quickly by clearing his thoat.

"Now that I've got my warm up in _("if you could even call it that")_ , I need your help with something kid."

"My help?" Natsu asked.

 _("I wonder what he could want with Natsu…")_ Lucy wondered.

"Yeah. I'm here on a mission you could say. And you might be the one person who can help." Bardock explained as he approached the group.

Natsu stood up to face him. Happy stood to Natsu's right while Lucy was on Natsu's left, her right hand on the upper part of his back close to his shoulder.

Bardock crossed his arms and looked Natsu straight in the eyes.

"So… You in?"

It only took Natsu a moment to respond. His signature grin etched on his face and nodded his head in approval.

"You bet! I'd be glad to help!" Natsu said with excitement.

Sure Natsu was sore but he wasn't going to let that be an excuse for turning down a request for help. Lucy was shocked of course but merely shook her head in amusement seconds later. Happy on the other hand rubbed the back of his head bashfully because he knew his best friend and foster father would do something like this.

"So guy what's your name?" Natsu asked.

Bardock held his scowl and was ready to speak.

"My name is…" Bardock was about to say his name before being cutoff.

Approaching the group was what appeared to be soldiers. And they didn't sound happy.

"Over there!"

"So much damage!"

"Witnesses say they went this way!"

"Seize the culprits! We can't let them escape!"

Bardock only raised an eyebrow while the trio he was with had other reactions.

"Crap! Run for it!" Natsu commanded.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Bardock said.

He then uncrossed his arms and flew off into the direction of the forest nearby. Of course this was unfair but Natsu had to make do. He grabbed Lucy by the wrist and ran for his life… even though his body was still in recovery from the hits he just took. His buddy Happy flew next to him, smiling the whole time.

 _("He can fly too?! Seriously just how strong is he?!")_ Natsu thought while running down the street.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?" Lucy shouted while crying faux tears.

Natsu turned his head with a huge grin.

"You said you wanted to join Fairy Tail right?"

Lucy had pink tinge appear on her cheeks as she let out a surprised gasp.

"Then come with me!" Natsu said grinning his widest in a long time.

Lucy responded with a smile, eyes full of hope and promise. Her dream was about to be realized and her adventures with this boy were only just beginning.

* * *

 **A/N: Cool right? And yes, Bardock held back. Truth be told he is experimenting with his own power from the get go. He doesn't want to outright kill while discovering just how everything in Earth Land works. He's not just a Saiyan warrior but he's also a former soldier, with a tactical mindset.**

 **Added to that, we already see budding chemistry between Natsu and Lucy. I know some people (a lot apparently) love NaLu while others pair Natsu with Erza, Mira, Cana, heck even the Princess but this is the pairing I'm most comfortable with.**

 **Bardock won't immediately see the trio of Natsu, Lucy and Happy as friends just yet. He'll keep his distance due to the fact of everything happening so fast. You'll see it in later chapters too but do expect subtle changes as he warms up to Fairy Tail as a whole once the Phantom Lord Arc rolls around.**

 **Lastly... to those who played Fighterz and Xenoverse 2, keep an eye out for the techniques, transformations and special moves Bardock uses. You'll be shocked to see how he learns them.**

 **As always, thanks for reading. Have a great Monday.**

 **See ya later!**


	3. Getting to Know You

**A/N: Welcome back to the second chapter of The Lost Warrior!**

 **I would first like to thank all those who have been reading this story or taken interest in it. I know from the reviews so far that you guys are somewhat eager to see what happens in the near future as Bardock takes part in the Fairy Tail story. Well, you're in luck!**

 **Due to how much I've been able to do so far, I've decided to do a multi-chapter release. Keep in mind, some of these chapters may be short in length but in the long run the chapters for the story will get longer. I've been mulling over the fact that I might merge two planned chapters into one once Erza comes back. Other than that last detail I can't spoil the story. Hopefully you'll enjoy the show.**

 **Without further ado, onto to Chapter 2!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **An hour later**

 **Outskirts of Hargeon**

"Phew! Those guys can run! Man I thought we'd never lose em." Natsu said wiping his brow.

"Tell me about it. By the way, good thinking going back to get our stuff. I owe you again Natsu." Lucy said walking up to Natsu.

"Hey it's nothing. Just wanted to help ya out, no big deal." Natsu said rubbing the back of his head bashfully.

Lucy giggled at this and nodded her head. Happy walked over while holding a fish, clearly hungry after having so much fun in one night.

"So Natsu…"

"Yeah?"

"Who was that guy? He was pretty strong. I've never seen anyone like him before." Happy said.

"Don't know pal. But I'm just as curious as you are. Speaking of which…" Natsu trailed off.

Natsu walked forward while his companions looked at his back somewhat confused.

"You can come out now."

From behind the biggest tree, Bardock walks out surprising Lucy and Happy.

 _("This kid's got good senses. He might be my best shot in this mess. Especially since that guy was not so kind on the details of my 'mission'.")_ Bardock thought as he stopped in front of Natsu.

"Your senses are pretty sharp kid." Bardock complimented.

"Thanks. Name's Natsu, nice to meet ya!" Natsu said while pointing his thumb to himself all the while smiling.

"My name is Lucy, Pleased to meet you." Lucy said giving a quick bow and a genuine smile.

"And I'm Happy! Would you like some fish mister?" Happy said flying in front of Bardock.

Bardock was a bit annoyed at first before realizing he was a bit hungry. But it wouldn't be fair to this kind cat who was being so generous that it meant he wouldn't have anything to eat.

Bardock smiled and crossed his arms.

"Tell you what… Happy was it? Let's split it."

This made Happy giddy. This man who just beat Natsu was willing to split a fish with him. He took a liking to Bardock in that moment.

"Natsu! Natsu, you see that? He wants to split a fish with me!" Happy said after landing in front of Natsu.

His child-like excitement made Natsu chuckle and Lucy giggle. The trio's behavior made sure Bardock kept his smile this time. For the first time since the incident on Planet Meat, he felt some comfort even if only for a moment.

After petting his exceed partner, Natsu then turned his attention back to Bardock.

"So guy what's your name?"

Bardock's smile went away and he got serious again.

"My name is Bardock."

Natsu walked over with his companions and stood a few feet away from his newest friend.

"Cool."

Bardock then grunted as a response.

"So Bardock… do you have a place to stay? If not, you want to come with us? Natsu did agree to help you and if you'd like I'll do my best to help too." Lucy said with confidence.

"And I'll help too! We can even split more fish together!" Happy said joining in.

Bardock let out a chuckle as he closed his eyes. He opened them again presenting the group with a small smile.

"Alright. Guess you guys are stuck with me. Suits me just fine." Bardock said as he uncrossed his arms.

"Sweet! Let's setup camp you guys!"

"Aye sir!"

Lucy giggled at the duo's knack to find energy and excitement even in their down time. Bardock just grunted and walked over to a tree with a scowl present on his face once again.

 **Several Minutes Later**

The group has made camp on the outskirts of a town they just devastated… actually it was Natsu's fault but still they shared the blame. However, what happened in Hargeon was put in the rear view as they just enjoyed a small campfire and some food underneath the stars. Lucy of course told her new friends about her magic without talking too much about where she came from. Natsu picking up on her hesitance, decided not to the press the issue.

Lucy wanted to know about Natsu a little, given he saved her with abilities she's never heard of and got to witness firsthand. Even though Happy already told her, she wanted to hear about Natsu's magic abilities from him in his own words. He of course happily obliged and even did a little showing off. Happy laughed while enjoying a fish he got of nowhere. He had already given Bardock one of his own for which the man was grateful for… somewhat.

Bardock was the odd man out and decided to just observe the group's interactions. He needed them to help accomplish a mission but at the same time he felt the need for new comrades to fight alongside. And who better than people familiar with this world he was in.

"Hey Bardock."

Bardock shifted his eyes to Lucy.

"Hm?"

"I hope you don't mind but… if it's alright with you we'd like to know more about you." Lucy said.

"… might as well." Bardock said staying in his spot.

"You got questions ask em. I need to get some sleep soon so I don't have all night."

Lucy and Natsu shared a glance before looking back at Bardock.

"So where did you come from?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah man, and how did you get so strong?" Natsu asked, irritating Lucy for his bluntness.

Bardock then titled his head forward and closed his eyes.

"You may not believe me when I say this but I'm from another universe."

Natsu, Lucy and Happy blinked a couple of times. Then Bardock spoke up again.

"It's the truth even if you don't believe me. I came from another universe and I also came from another planet entirely." Bardock continued.

"So you're an alien?" Natsu prompted with a blank, wide eyed stare.

"And you're not even from this universe?" Lucy inquired with raised eyebrows.

He nodded and then looked to the starry sky while still leaning against the tree.

"I was a part of an alien race known as the Saiyans. We were a warrior race whose sole existence hinged on fighting and survival. That and our pride made us who we are… or were now."

 _("Were… what does he mean by that?")_ Lucy wondered while listening intently.

Of course Natsu kept an open mind while Lucy and Happy were a bit skeptical. But unlike Lucy, Happy trusted Natsu more when it came to people, friend and foe alike. Altogether, Lucy wanted to hear Bardock's story and see what kind of man he was. Even if there was the slightest doubts in his apparent origin.

"In the earliest days we were savage nomads who fought and killed everyone who stood in the way our survival. As time went on we became civilized or as civilized as Saiyans went."

"What happened next?" Lucy asked.

Bardock looked at the trio in front of him seriously.

"We fought a war and eradicated an entire alien race thanks to our trump card. And after the war was over, we were finally recognized by the rest of the races." Bardock stated.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy sweat dropped at his words.

 _("So there's an entire race of guys like him?")_ Natsu wondered.

 _("I'm trying to understand something though… why is he speaking of his own people in past tense? As strong as he makes them out to be…")_ Lucy wondered to herself.

"Even with our power and wealth it would never be enough. Eventually a tyrant came along and more or less enslaved us, forcing us to be in his army." Bardock said before squatting down to sit and lean against the tree.

"After a few years of serving him, he decided he no longer needed us and wiped us out." Bardock said before closing his eyes.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy let out a gasp.

 _("No way…")_ Natsu thought to himself.

"Oh Bardock… I'm so sorry. We didn't know." Lucy said sadly.

"Yeah man, we had no idea." Natsu said trying to comfort his friend.

Bardock opened his eyes to look at them. Their looks were of genuine concern and comfort. He didn't really welcome it but he appreciated it to an extent. He waved them off with his left hand.

"It's fine."

"No it's not."

Bardock looked at Lucy who walked over and sat right next to him.

"You just lost your people and a lot of people you cared for. It has to be affecting you one way or another." Lucy said.

To an extent Lucy had a point, even Bardock knew this. But Bardock also knew the whole story because he experienced it. He never told the whole story and wanted to keep it that way… for now.

"For starters you don't know everything girl. Second, yeah it is affecting me more than you know." Bardock said before standing up and walking away to another tree.

"We better get some sleep. If you want the full story, ask me some other time."

Bardock then crossed his arms and his legs as he leaned back against a tree.

"All you guys need to know is that I got business here and I need to take care of it."

Lucy wanted to press but immediately reprimanded herself from doing so. She felt that Bardock would open up eventually.

"Well in that case… I'm feeling a bit tired myself." Lucy said before a good yawn and stretch.

"You're not the only one. A lot happened tonight so some sleep could do us some real good right now." Natsu said leaning back on his hands.

That night was full of surprises and memories. Now Natsu had two new friends who he hoped to go on countless adventures with. Everyone wished each other goodnight, minus Bardock who fell asleep rather quickly.

 **July 4, X784**

 **Magnolia, Kingdom of Fiore**

 **Morning Time**

"So this place is your home eh? Not bad."

Natsu of course flashed a grin behind him. Bardock was keeping a healthy distance from Natsu, Lucy and Happy for his own reasons. Although he still made conversation, Bardock felt it best he not get too close to the first people to welcome him to Earthland… for now.

For this reason he trailed the trio he met 2 days ago and wanted to see where this journey would take him.

 **Several minutes later**

 **In front of Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

 _("So this is a magic guild? I wonder if I can find a challenge in here.")_ Bardock thought to himself, smirking internally. Externally Bardock let a grunt as a response to the excitement of a certain blonde.

Lucy had her bag and suitcase, beaming her brightest smile as she inspected the building in front of her. She had finally arrived to the guild she had dreamt of joining for so long.

"Wow!" Lucy said in awe.

Natsu and Happy step forward in front of the large double doors. They then turned and presented their newest comrades with the most welcoming smiles.

"Lucy… Bardock… Welcome to Fairy Tail."

* * *

 **A/N: Short chapter? Yes.**

 **However there was a reason for this. I took inspiration from some of the other stories involving Crossovers between Fairy Tail and other Anime/Manga characters. Natsu is gullible but he's also a judge of good character. Happy follows Natsu's lead and tends to agree with him on most things, except fish for some reason.**

 **Bardock in this chapter is trying to earn the trust of the trio due to the fact he's relatively new. Plus as a soldier he's likely been in a situation like this before even though as interpreted from his track record, he and his team likely slaughtered entire planets without hesitation. He's trained to deal with any situation but this one is unique to him so he adapts as best as possible. You'll continue to see that in the early chapters before reaching the Phantom Lord Arc.**

 **Stay tuned for upcoming chapters and a special thanks to all my viewers/readers!**

 **See ya later!**


	4. Meeting Fairy Tail

**A/N: Still with me? Sweet!**

 **Welcome to the third chapter of The Lost Warrior!**

 **With this story getting noticed, I'm getting rather fired up!**

 **This project of mine started as an idea and I wanted to roll the dice on executing my vision. And this isn't even my favorite project but it's my first so it's just as special. I continue to thank all readers/viewers for taking interest and supporting the story. I also want to thank all the authors for their stories involving a crossover between Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball Z. You men and women were the starting line for authors like me and I will do my best not to let you down. Your stories help give me inspiration as well as joy so again thank you.**

 **That said, let's start the show!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **July 4, X784**

 **Magnolia, Kingdom of Fiore**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

The most unpredictable, rebellious and energetic group of wizards known to Earthland was living just another lively day at the guild. Suddenly the doors to the guild burst open.

"Yo everyone! We're home!" Natsu shouted.

"Aye!" Happy exclaimed.

While some took this and went on with their business, others greeted the pink haired mage to an extent.

"Natsu my man! How's it goin?"

"Yo what's happenin Natsu?"

"Hey Natsu's back!"

"Welcome back Natsu!"

Several random members offered their greetings but Natsu had something else he needed to do.

A member of Fairy Tail was conversing with his own group of friends until he noticed Natsu heading towards his way.

"So you made it back eh? That's a surprise seeing how you cause trouble every-" this man was cutoff has Natsu delivered a haymaker to his jaw effectively knocking him out and causing panic in his friends.

Bardock saw this and took his cue to just stand off to the side. So he found a spot near the bar and leaned on the support beam and crossed his arms.

 _("That's an odd way to greet your comrades. I'll just wait till his boss shows up.")_ Bardock thought to himself watching everyone in the guild.

Lucy of course wasn't paying any attention as she simply took everything in. She had finally set foot inside the guild of her dreams. She had finally made it to Fairy Tail. Deep down she thought her Mom was smiling down on her and could only wish her mother was there with her in the moment. For now she just let the feeling sink in.

That only lasted a minute as something rather… unsightly came into view. Of course if you were a girl this wouldn't be the case.

"Hey! That flame brained freak get back? It's time to settle things between me and him."

Enter Gray Fullbuster, Ice-Make Wizard and Natsu's rival (on his good days a punching bag too).

Currently the raven haired boy was sporting less clothing than usual. Something one of his closest friends and fellow guild mate decided to point out.

"You um… going for a new look there Gray?"

Cana Alberona. Fairy Tail's resident drunk and an expert at card magic. She could also double as a fortune teller… or so she says.

Gray took in the comment that was just made and… well he didn't take it well.

"What the hell?! Dammit not again!" Gray said in a panic. The poor boy was now in his boxers due to a stripping habit he picked up as a kid. Seriously though… who teaches a kid how to strip? And why would anyone think giving a kid a habit like that is a good idea?

Lucy only blushed at this with a look of shock and slight mortification. But that wore off quickly as Gray ignored his situation and ran to join the brawl Natsu caused.

"Ugh… where's a good man when you need em?" Cana said while pouting.

"I swear the ones around here have no class… it makes me sick!"

Cana then took several gulps out of a barrel… yes a barrel, of the liquor she always asked for like a baby drinking its milk.

"Are you serious?!" Lucy said with her eyes comically bulging out of her head.

From behind Lucy, a deep voice could be heard.

"All these babies making so much noise…"

Out of the shadows came Elfman Strauss. A take-over wizard and an expert on all things manly… according to him.

"What they really need is man to step in the ring and show em how it's done!" Elfman exclaimed.

Elfman then made his way over to the brawl that Natsu and Gray were at the center of to announce his intentions.

"Get ready boys a real man's coming through!" Elfman shouted.

Sadly his manliness was no match for the combined power of Natsu and Gray hitting him with a vicious uppercut. The sheer force sent his manly behind flying off into nearby tables.

"Get real!" Natsu and Gray shouted in unison. It was always weird to see Fire and Ice team up in a brawl, even for a moment.

The brawl escalated as tables and mugs were being smashed to nothing.

"What's this? Why is it so noisy in here?"

Lucy turned her head to who spoke those words. She blushed at the sight of a handsome young man with spiky orange hair, wearing glasses and had an aura of awesome surrounding him… or douchery according to the men.

This young man was none other than Loke. A mage heavily featured in Sorcerer Weekly due to his good looks and charisma. Young women sought after this man more than beauty products and that was saying something. Loke was a bachelor of sorts and considered the top candidates in a poll of someone most likely to be some lucky girl's boyfriend… of course to Lucy that wasn't the reality she saw.

"Ooooh~ are you going in there Mister Man~?"

"Loke #1!"

"You're so awesome Loke~!"

"Well I'll do my best for you, you and maybe even you!" Loke said charmingly.

Lucy fell face first due to the fact that the respectable image she thought Loke had was smashed to bits due to the fact the young man had multiple women surrounding him. Of course this man was that type of guy… he could get women without even having to try he was that good. And now his audience was going to see him in action against the likes of Natsu, Gray, the rejuvenated Elfman and many others as the brawl was taken up a notch.

"Is there anyone here that's actually sane?" Lucy said while pouting on the floor.

"Hello there! Are you new here?"

Lucy opened her eyes and she couldn't believe who was squatting down to help her. She sprung to life and squealed, rejuvenated now that her inner fangirl came out.

"Oh my gosh! Like no way! You're Mirajane! THE Mirajane!" Lucy exclaimed in excitement.

Mirajane Strauss… Elfman's older sister, S-Class mage and Barmaid of Fairy Tail, and… the top model in all of the land. She is every otaku's fantasy girl and every girl's role model. Her sincerity knew no bounds, she had a smile that would light a fire in anyone's heart and… she was a sinister angel.

Mira took Lucy's hands in hers and continued to smile away. Lucy of course had pink tinge covering her cheeks and smiled right back someone she considered her idol… kind of.

"It's such an honor to meet you!"

"Oh shucks you flatter me!" Mira responded bashfully.

"Anyways are you here to join our guild?" Mira asked.

"Why yes I am! Natsu was kind enough to bring me here after all." Lucy explained.

"That's so sweet of him! I can't wait to hear how you two met!" Mira said gleefully.

"I'd be more than happy to tell you all about it Mirajane." Lucy said.

"Oh please dear, call me Mira!"

"Okay! By the way Mira?"

"Hm?"

"Don't you think you should stop this?" Lucy said nervously while pointing to the ongoing brawl.

"Oh no dear! You see this thing happens almost everytime." Mira explained

"Besides…" Mira was then cutoff when a glass of mystery liquid (it was beer, wine or something along those lines) hit her in the head.

"Mira! Oh no are you okay?" Lucy was going to gently shake Mira back to life but in a second that was deemed unnecessary.

Mira shot back up in the sitting position she was in before.

"I'm fine! And as I was saying before… I think it's best to let this run its course. It usually works itself out in the end." Mira said before giggling.

Lucy sweat dropped nervously at how easy going Mira was. Maybe Lucy's idol was as insane as everyone else and was just hiding it well. This was proven true because Mira now had blood coming from the cut on her head and paid absolutely zero attention to it.

Both noticed how the fight escalated to where magic was about to be involved. Natsu was in flames and lauging like a maniac, rarin' to go. Gray lost his boxers and was in his birthday suit, making him even madder than before because his misfortune was caused by his rival. Elfman was letting out "manly" war cries as he jumped in transforming his arm. Loke was an unknown but his ring lit up because he was fed up with the indecency of his guild. And Cana had lost all patience since she couldn't enjoy her drinking in peace, so now her cards were literally going to be in play.

"Magic?! In here?!" Lucy exclaimed in fear.

"Oh well this could get a bit complicated…" Mira said smiling and a bead of sweat appearing out of nervousness.

Before anyone could really let loose, a commanding voice got everyone's attention.

"Enough! Cut this out immediately you brats!" A Giant yelled, voice echoing throughout the building.

"Holy crap!" Lucy squeaked out.

Everyone was now facing off with their opponent, no one making a move. Given who this giant was, everybody stood down from the fight and simply walked away. Gray went to find clothes, Cana made an order for more liquor and Loke… well his "fans" wanted to "reward" him for a masterful performance in the brawl. Natsu of course had other ideas.

"Bwa ha ha ha ha ha! You cowards! Don't tell me you're scared?! Then that means I win ha ha-" Natsu was cut off as the poor boy was then stomped on and let out a yelp.

"Oh come now Master, don't you think that was a bit much?" Mira asked.

Bardock walked forward and joined the duo of Mira and Lucy, arms still crossed.

"Huh? That's your Master?!" Lucy said in shock.

 _("Natsu's boss I assume… he's big.")_ Bardock thought sizing up the giant before him.

"I see we have new friends here, correct?"

Bardock responded by narrowing his eyes and letting out a low growl. Lucy on the other hand was frozen because the sheer size of Fairy Tail's master made her fear for her life… just look what happened to Natsu.

"Y-yes sir?"

"Graaaaaah!"

Lucy started sweating bullets as the giant then slowly shrank down, revealing a pint sized man wearing odd clothing.

 _("Now this makes more sense.")_ Bardock deadpanned seeing the Master's true form.

Makarov Dreyar. He's one of the legendary Ten Wizard Saints of Ishgar, the third master of Fairy Tail and one of the wisest men in all of Earth Land. Of all the Guild Masters in the Kingdom of Fiore, Makarov is special because of above everything else he stresses the importance of a magic guild as family and not some place to simply make money with your gifts.

"Nice to meet ya!" Makarov greeted the two. Mira of course giggled at this.

"U-um hi?" Lucy nervously greeted.

Makarov then jumped up and performed several backflips in the air, attempting to land on the railing on the second floor. He stuck the landing only to slip and fall, to which several members of the guild cleared their throats to forget they saw that.

Master Makarov then found his balance and composed himself to speak.

"Now then, onto business my children. It seems the Magic Council is quite displeased with the lot of you."

Bardock raised an eyebrow and leaned down to Lucy.

"Just who is this Magic Council? Are they the ones in charge of all the guilds?" Bardock whispered.

"Pretty much. They do the rules and regulations for how magic guilds operate. I bet someone here can explain it better than I can though if you ask around." Lucy explained.

Bardock nodded his head and corrected his posture to listen to Makarov speak.

Apparently this group of knuckleheads Natsu associated with had done a lot of great deeds during these menial tasks called "jobs". Wizards from every magic guild apparently took jobs to make money for themselves and the guild. However during the jobs each of Natsu's guild mates had taken, something went horribly awry even though they fulfilled their tasks, hence the complaints from the council.

Gray had made some bandits regret raiding a village and picking a fight with him, only to have complaints about his exhibitionism by the majority of the population… minus the elderly and teenage women. Wait a minute… why would the elderly women not complain? Actually scratch that, best not to know.

Elfman accepted a VIP protection job only for it to backfire when said VIP insulted his intelligence… and his manliness. Not the best move.

Cana was in trouble for her drinking habits. Had to be a record this time fifteen… no twenty kegs during the job. No details on the job though… oddly enough.

Loke had seduced some big wigs daughter during a job request he had taken. Not surprising at the least.

Natsu, obviously did the most damage. Lucy noted that a lot of the complaints about Natsu were featured in Sorcerer Weekly. It didn't surprise Bardock at all given what Bardock saw in Hargeon 2 days earlier. Adding to the damage in Hargeon was the destruction of some private homes, a clock tower and the destruction of several transports he had rode.

More wizards were named off… Team Shadow gear (Levy, Jet and Droy), Alzack, Bisca, Warren, Reedus… geez who shoved poles up the council's asses to make them hate Fairy Tail so much right?

"Even with all your righteous deeds you've managed to make the council mad at me you bunch of ingrates and with that…" Makarov trailed off.

Most of the guild looked ashamed of themselves. But no one could have predicted what happened next.

Makarov then lit the complaint papers on fire surprising his two guests.

"The council can shove it where all the stars don't shine!" Makarov exclaimed defiantly.

The flaming papers then fell to the first floor where awaiting them was a hungry Dragon Slayer who was previously stomped out.

Bardock and Lucy then listened to Makarov make a passionate speech about the power of responsibility and magic. He mentioned how magic is a part of the beings on the planet, this guild and a part of the world. He also mentioned how the guild members shared a connection to the world and to each other. He ended his great speech with a statement that made Bardock smirk proudly.

"Don't you dare worry about those old farts sitting their butts in their comfy chairs (irony since he sits in a bar and likes to drink). Let none of them hold you back! Follow your path in your own way for that is how we do things because we are Fairy Tail!" Makarov exclaimed.

The guild erupted into a joyous uproar. Lucy knew from that moment that she belonged here.

 _("They're a bunch of fruitcakes… but at least they got spirit. Guess I can stay here for a while.")_ Bardock thought smirking.

 **Sometime later**

Bardock was approached by Makarov about the possibility of joining the guild. Bardock of course had better things to do and bigger things to worry about but… he would consider the offer. Until then Makarov asked Mira to give Bardock as much food as he possibly needs and treat him as a welcomed guest. Bardock didn't disclose the details of his story to Makarov or anyone else in the guild, figuring it wasn't the right time. He could use this connection to Fairy Tail to get jobs, make money and find out exactly what is threatening Earth Land, because he was relatively in the dark on details.

Also, as Natsu's new friend people started getting curious but were somewhat hesitant to approach him. He had to admit that he was pretty intimidating but he wasn't totally anti-social. Anyways, he made sure Natsu kept his mouth shut about his origins and in exchange they would get a rematch much to Natsu's excitement. So Natsu was tight lipped mainly stating he met Bardock in Hargeon same as Lucy and nothing else. Although he could tell the pink haired fire user wanted to share badly but didn't want to miss a perfectly good chance at a rematch. For some reason Bardock might have thought Natsu had Saiyan DNA in him. Then of course logic overruled this and related it to him being a Dragon Slayer.

Yes, Bardock learned of Natsu being something called a Dragon Slayer, a magic long lost to time. Not only that, Natsu was raised by a dragon before said dragon disappeared. The previous day, everyone got acquainted with their abilities including Bardock. Natsu, Happy and Lucy of course were surprised that Bardock didn't use magic at all. If only they knew how much he was holding back…

Lucy got a pink guild mark on her right hand, credits to Mira. She then went off to show off to Natsu who dumbly enough congratulated her but got her name wrong. The moron… anyways he then got up to go find a job until something caught his senses while at the job board.

Bardock was hanging out near the bar when he noticed the same thing Natsu did. A young boy by the name of Romeo had confronted Master Makarov over an issue. The two overheard the conversation.

"Mister Makarov sir is my daddy back?"

"No."

Bardock leaned against a support beam near the bar and crossed his arms. Lucy had taken a seat at the bar close to where Mira was while she was cleaning glasses and mugs.

"I wouldn't worry so much little Romeo. Your father is quite the wizard so I'm sure he can handle himself just fine. Just be patient and wait for him at home." Makarov said calmly.

"But Makarov sir, he said he would be back in three days and it's been a week already. I beg you please find my daddy!" Romeo was brought to tears and pleaded.

Makarov being the stern father figure he was had to set the boy straight.

"That's enough boy! As I said before your father is a capable wizard and if this job proves otherwise he doesn't deserve to be in this guild! Now go home drink some milk and wait as I instructed!" Makarov commanded harshly.

Romeo had tears streaming down his face upset at the cold hearted nature that was so unlike the Makarov he heard of, met and known for some time. He couldn't hold back what he did next.

"You jerk!" Romeo said socking Makarov in the face.

The boy then ran off sobbing letting what took place settle into the minds and hearts of those close by.

"Don't you think he was a bit hard on him Mira?"

"Don't worry. The master is worried as well but does his best to keep everyone strong in a situation like this." Mira explained.

Bardock didn't think much of it. He of course came from a warrior culture and much was expected from Saiyans from birth. Infant Saiyans were usually sent off to other worlds in order to help conquer them. It was something of a rite of passage. Even the childhood of Saiyans weren't typical; usually kids spent their time fighting each other instead of playing around.

So Bardock simply stared at the doors where Romeo exited. Then he shifted his gaze to see that Natsu was upset by this and left a hole in the request board with a request shoved in.

"Hey Natsu! You broke the board!" Neb noted annoyed.

Lucy saw Natsu heading out, Happy in tow.

"Natsu?" Lucy said curiously.

 _("Kid is definitely making this personal.")_ Bardock thought to himself.

"Where's he heading off to? And what's gotten into him all of a sudden?"

"At one point Natsu was like Romeo… or still is."

Bardock and Lucy shifted their sights to Mira.

"Tell me you two, did Natsu or Happy make any mention of him being raised by a dragon?" Mira questioned.

"The fur ball mentioned something about it right?" Bardock asked walking over.

"Yeah. Happy said that a dragon taught Natsu how to use the magic we saw in Hargeon. Plus that this dragon raised Natsu at one point but I didn't think he was serious." Lucy explained.

"Well, the dragon was actually his adoptive father. His name was Igneel."

Bardock crossed his arms again not fazed by the news that he already had a feeling to be true. He only heard enough bits from Natsu's furry friend to make some sort of connection.

Lucy of course was surprised. Her mouth agape and eyes widened, she tried to process the information she was receiving.

"You see… Igneel taught Natsu much and raised him for a certain period of time. Igneel was kind, wise and a wonderful dragon who gave Natsu a great deal of knowledge as well as power. But the most important thing he gave our favorite fire breather… was love. They lived peacefully together until one day…" Mira trailed off. She then looked down at the glass she had polished with a sad smile.

"One day Igneel simply disappeared without a trace."

Bardock again had no reaction but felt a little sympathy for one of his first true companion (acquaintance or ally but still the same crap) in a new world. Lucy let a gasp slip through her lips. Her heart ached at the thought of how much pain Natsu was hiding from her, even in the short time they knew each other.

"A few days ago, Natsu heard a rumor about a Salamander in Hargeon and figured he would find Igneel there. Given that you two were there, you know the rest of the story by now." Mira said somberly.

Lucy looked back at the doors and was nearly out of her seat.

 _("Oh Natsu…")_ Lucy thought with concern.

 _("Kakarot… ")_ Bardock thought to himself. This talk of fathers and sons brought up some painful memories that made him grit his teeth. Bardock felt a tug in his very being, telling him to make sure that the boy didn't go through this thing alone.

"Here at Fairy Tail… we all have pain in our hearts. We do our best to hide it and try not to let it come to the surface. Even me…" Mira trailed off sounding sad which was a bit unusual for those who didn't know her full story.

Bardock caught those last words and would remind himself to ask Mira what she meant later. Lucy on the other hand was a bit confused by what Mira meant but Mira corrected herself before Lucy made anything of it.

"Don't worry it's nothing!" Mira said resuming her upbeat mood.

Lucy of course doubted this somewhat but not to the extent of Bardock who then tapped her on the shoulder.

"If you wanna back him up go for it. I'll catch up."

Lucy looked at him with wide eyes. He simply nodded at her and her face became serious before replying with a nod of her own.

"Alright. I'll see you later Mira!" Lucy shouted running out the door.

Mira waved her goodbye before turning to Bardock. She noted the expression on his face was deadly serious. Did her words somehow strike a chord within him?

"Old man."

Makarov turned his head while sitting on the bar.

"Yes Bardock?"

"There's a lot we need to talk about… like why I'm here." Bardock said narrowing his eyes and clinching his fists.

"Oh?"

"For now understand that I'm playing this one close. And…" Bardock started before walking forward, passing by Makarov a short distance before stopping.

"I'll join you on the condition that you help me out. All I need is solid info that would be related to my mission."

Makarov grinned devilishly at this. He didn't know how strong Bardock was but he had a clue. But what made him curious was Bardock's untold story and what this mission he was on had to do with Fairy Tail. For now…

"You've got a deal my boy!" Makarov exclaimed.

Bardock then nodded his head and let out a grunt. And before anyone knew what hit them, he flared his aura spiking his power up.

Makarov of course, like the rest of his guild was at a loss for words. Bardock's power was great and it was unlike any they had ever sensed before.

 _("His power… just what can he do?")_ Makarov thought.

Bardock then took off into a short sprint exiting the doors before flying into the skies above Magnolia.

Everyone close enough… their jaws immediately dropped. Makarov was flabbergasted beyond all recognition. Mira of course tried to snap him out of his stupefied daze.

"Um Master?"

"Did… did he just fly?" Makarov asked trying to recover from the shock.

"Yes. Yes he did Master." Mira confirmed.

"Okay good. Just making sure my old eyes aren't playing tricks on me as all… hehe…" Makarov nervously trailed off.

* * *

 **A/N: Let's just say it's been a while since Makarov last saw someone fly.**

 **Welp, that was Bardock's little introduction to Fairy Tail. In exchange for keeping quiet on Bardock's brief telling of his origins, Natsu will get a rematch at an untold time and place.**

 **Lucy of course hasn't disclosed the fact of who she really is and that won't come into a factor until the Phantom Lord Arc. Plus, even in the world of magic she was skeptical of the backgrounds of both the Saiyan Rebel and our favorite Fire breather.**

 **Lastly, look at the upcoming event with Macao as something that brings our four core characters together. Eventually that four grows into more but still you will see some bonding and character development. Although truth be told, I'm doing an average job at best in that department.**

 **Stay tuned for when a dragon, a princess and a cat with a timely appearance by our Saiyan warrior save Macao!**

 **See ya later!**


	5. Save Macao!

**A/N: Bonjour!**

 **Sorry poor attempt at French. Learned it once and surprisingly didn't remember a thing. Learned Spanish too but forgot that as well. Enough about me though.**

 **With this story garnering support, I have to keep a tight lid on what happens when and the updates. But you guys are eager and showing support so it's difficult to resist. That saying about authors leaving their readers wanting more is all too true.**

 **So progress update, the Lullaby Arc is nearly done and truth is I might shorten the Galuna Arc due to the characters involved on both sides. I know you guys will probably figure out why but no spoilers!**

 **Anyways, on with Macao's rescue!**

 **Wait... now that I think about it... it's a bit of an odd journey from Natsu rescuing him to him becoming Fairy Tail's 4th Master when the Tenrou Group vanished. He really did go a long way.**

 **Okay now on with the story! For real this time!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Sometime later**

 **Mount Hakabe**

Lucy caught up to Natsu shortly after leaving the guild. They took a wagon to Mount Hakabe to save time on travel. During the road trip, Lucy found out about Natsu's extreme motion sickness. She did her best to comfort him from the other seat, wishing she could do more.

Also on the road trip they conversed about Lucy's living situation, her getting close to Mira and of course food. Wait why were they discussing food? Mainly Happy and Natsu were discussing food but it didn't help his uneasy stomach. That is until they had gone onto the mountain and their driver alerted them he couldn't go any further. Uh-oh…

"I wonder why we stopped…" Lucy muttered to herself.

Natsu opened the back of the small wagon and saw that a blizzard had swept through. Lucy saw this too and was immediately chilled to the bone after Natsu had opened the doors. Happy on the other hand, stuck close to his buddy to keep warm, which he was now due to Natsu being a walking heater.

"S-so… c-cc-cold…" Lucy said through chattering teeth.

"Then you shouldn't have wore thin clothes weirdo." Natsu said deadpanned.

Before Lucy could retort and take her leave, the driver had left.

"Oh man…" Lucy said with fake tears and falling to her knees in the snow.

"You're right buddy, she is weird."

"Tell me about it. But can't do much about it, maybe she was born that way." Natsu said nonchalantly.

"Could you at least spare me something warm…please?" Lucy said with pleading eyes.

Happy hopped down from Natsu's shoulders and stood by his feet. Natsu whipped out a blanket and walked over to wrap it around Lucy. She looked at him, mouth slightly agape. They haven't had physical contact like this since Hargeon. She looked at his face seeing how serious he was and what this particular mission meant to him.

Natsu looked back at her right in the eyes after wrapping her in the largest blanket he had.

"Listen… you can't slow us down on this. So I can't stay close to keep ya warm. You can choose to stay or go still it's your call." Natsu said before walking back over to Happy.

Lucy let out a sigh and stood up, doing her best to keep the blanket wrapped around her tight enough.

"I'm staying. I'll do my best to help out."

Natsu glanced back over his shoulder. He could tell she was telling the truth and was stubbornly staying with him. He didn't really figure why she would follow him up here but that didn't matter.

"Alright then. Let's go." Natsu said before walking forward a few steps.

They were only a series of steps up the mountain before Lucy came up with a solution to her dilemma of staying warm. Natsu and Happy curiously turned around slightly to see what Lucy was up to.

"Open Gate of the Time Keeper! Horologium!"

*Ding-Dong*

By Lucy's command came a celestial spirit in the form of a grandfather clock who had arms and a face.

"Whoa! Check that out!" Natsu exclaimed in amazement.

"Oh man it's a clock!" Happy shouted in surprise.

Before they knew it, Lucy had made herself at home inside the clock. Natsu thought that was pretty resourceful of her but also thought it fit with her weirdness.

"Feeling better now?" Natsu asks, almost rhetorically.

"The lady says 'Much better thank you.'"

Of course the clock is speaking for his handler. Natsu simply shrugged his shoulders and Horologium followed close behind Natsu and Happy as they continued for several feet. Then Horologium spoke for Lucy again.

"The lady asks 'What brought Macao all the way out here Natsu?'"

Natsu stopped and turned slightly so his whole face was seen. Happy merely glanced over his shoulder while sticking close to Natsu for warmth.

"Macao took a job to defeat these beasts called Vulcans. They're pretty crafty and strong too."

Inside, Lucy suddenly became petrified and was sweating like a pig (no pun intended because she is not fat).

"Don't tell me you're thinkin of leaving? Come on where's your sense of adventure?" Natsu jokingly asks with his arms crossed.

Lucy's only response was a nervous laugh. Natsu took this as a sign she was staying… albeit reluctantly. So he turned around and continued on with his mission.

"Macao! You here?! Come on don't leave us hangin man!" Natsu yelled out as the blizzard picked up.

"Macao! Where are you?" Happy shouted with both hands pressed to his face to amplify the sound.

"The lady says 'I have a bad feeling about this.'"

 **Meanwhile**

 **Bottom of Mount Hakabe**

Bardock had followed the trio after doing some flying to clear his head a little. Once he saw the snowstorm, he figured it be best to walk up the mountain. If he sensed something go wrong, he could run up into the blizzard with ease and sense where the group had gone to.

Bardock is walking along the road leading into the mountain and passes by the driver who had just dropped off Natsu, Lucy and Happy.

"Hey you."

The driver looks up.

"Yes?"

"Did you happen to drop some cargo off here? Two kids and a talking fur ball?" Bardock asked.

"Why yes I did. Fairy Tail wizards I believe. Are they friends of yours?"

Bardock crossed his arms.

"Something like that. They up there?"

The driver got out of his seat and fed his horse while continuing the conversation.

"Yes. According to rumors a wizard from that guild came to this mountain a week or so ago on a job."

Bardock turned his attention from the mountain to the driver who was now petting his horse.

"What was the job exactly?"

The driver looked at him with worry.

"According to what I heard the man was here to take on Vulcans."

Bardock quirked a brow.

"What the hell are Vulcans?" Bardock asked.

"From what I know Vulcans are nasty, monkey like beasts who reside in cold places. They're strong, ferocious monsters who use magic to their advantage and are also pretty tricky."

Bardock then narrowed his eyes and let out a low hum.

"Meaning there's a chance the poor bastard didn't stand a chance if they had a numbers advantage." Bardock stated grimly.

The driver of course hung his head in slight sadness, somewhat agreeing with Bardock's analysis.

All of a sudden both men perked up to the faint sound of someone calling for help.

"Looks like instead of finding trouble, trouble found those idiots." Bardock said uncrossing his arms.

"Go home, I'll make sure no one ends up Vulcan food."

Bardock then took off into a dead sprint. His abilities as a Saiyan warrior gave him incredible physical strength as well as great amounts of Stamina. To him, running up a mountain, even in a blizzard covered one was virtually child's play. But he also had a sense of urgency if his 'friends' were in it deep.

 **Currently**

 **Mount Hakabe**

Okay… at this point Lucy was freaking out. Earlier she was with Natsu and Happy until a Vulcan used the blizzard to ambush them. Natsu of course tried to make the fight quick and made a move to incapacitate the beast before the beast in question shot right past him. Natsu picked up on this and his senses alerted him to the fact that the Vulcan was gunning for Lucy. What he saw next didn't really elicit a reaction that was typical. Vulcans have a… "thing" for human females, which led to the Vulcan Natsu and company were facing to kidnap Lucy… who was still in Horologium. And all Natsu could care about was the fact this monster, who just kidnapped his friend, could speak somewhat intelligent sentences (unlike Saiyans, Vulcans don't have good brains so yeah).

Now Lucy was in an ice cave… on her own. Wait what?

*Poof*

"Huh?"

Lucy looked around and freaked out even more.

"Nooooo! Horologium don't just leave me here! I need you~!" Lucy whined.

"Do forgive me my lady but it seems my time is up. Take care of yourself until next time!" Horologium echoed.

Before Lucy could give retort on an extension, one of the Vulcans (there were apparently five left), the same one who scared off Horologium essentially had this predatory look on his face and perverted smile. After all, even with limited knowledge, Lucy was mortified knowing what Vulcans were capable of when they got their hands on a human female… or handsy seeing how Vulcans at their core were perverts who probably took cues from Manga, Hentai and Doujinshi. Yeah that was it…

Suddenly at the ice cave entrance was Lucy's knight or in this case dragon coming to her rescue.

"Nastu!" Lucy shouted in relief.

"You damned dirty apes! I finally found you!" Natsu yelled while sprinting.

 _("Thank goodness for Dragon Senses…")_ Lucy thought before she face palmed at what happened next.

"Where's Macao ?! Where are you-gah!"

Natsu took a tumble after slipping on the ice. He let out a few comical yelps before hitting the wall upside down, leaving an imprint as a reminder of his… well you can guess.

"I'll give you an A for effort but you'll probably need to work on the landing." Lucy commented.

Natsu got off the wall and dusted himself off before looking at Lucy somewhat annoyed.

"And who asked you? Last I checked you got yourself kidnapped and I came here for two reasons, one of which was to save you. Oh before I forget, you're welcome by the way." Natsu said crossing his arms giving his best looks of annoyance.

"Thanks for not totally screwing up a resuce… again. Really appreciate it." Lucy said in a mocking tone. She clutched the blanket Natsu gave her a little tighter.

"Oh bite me Lucy." Natsu said while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh my gosh! Natsu remembered my name this time! Would like a medal or a statue?" Lucy asked with a mocking smile.

"You know what forget it. We got business to take care of in case you forgot." Natsu said before taking a battle stance against the group of Vulcans.

"No, I didn't forget." Lucy said taking a defensive stance behind Natsu while still clutching the blanket on her body.

The Vulcans were ticked to say the least. Four were present in front of the duo of mages.

"Alright you filthy bastards tell us where Macao is!" Natsu said threateningly while pointing his right index finger.

"Yeah and don't get any funny ideas or we'll kick your monkey butts!" Lucy said trying to act tough. She was tough but these Ape monsters tried to violate her so her bravado wasn't exactly helpful.

"Seriously?" Natsu deadpanned.

Lucy simply shrugged her shoulders.

"A Man?"

Natsu and Lucy looked at what seemed to be the lead Vulcan in surprise.

"Yes! Could you show us where you took him?" Natsu asked, more hopeful than before.

Lucy got that bad feeling again. Something was off and Natsu was letting his guard down a little.

"Natsu I don't know about this…" Lucy whispered warily.

"Don't worry Lucy, I got this. But stay close if they try anything kay?" Natsu whispered back.

Lucy nodded her head, getting serious again.

The Vulcans made grunting noises to each other, including their leader. After several seconds of grunting and sign language, the leader of the pack turned his attention towards Natsu with a deceiving smile.

"Man! Man! Uho ho ho ho!"

Natsu began to smile a little.

"Hey he might know where he is! Can you show-" Natsu was cutoff when he was grabbed and thrown towards an exit… an exit that led to a deep gorge and likely a gruesome death.

"Oh crap!" Natsu shouted in surprise.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled in fear.

Natsu had a plan for avoiding deadly falls seeing how he couldn't fly and all. Yes he could manipulate being in the air using his flames but at the moment… he was hoping his plan would save him. That plan a moment later was deemed unnecessary.

"You having trouble kid?"

Natsu was caught by his left leg and hanging upside down. He looked to see that his other new friend was hovering while holding him with ease and paying him no mind whatsoever. Nevertheless, Natsu and Lucy were overjoyed.

"Bardock!" Lucy said ecstatically.

"Hey man! What are you doing here?" Natsu wondered joyfully.

"I'm here too!" Happy said popping from behind Bardock's right shoulder.

"Happy it's good to see you!" Lucy said.

Happy replied with a wave before looking down Bardock's right arm to see Natsu's ankle being grasped by the man.

"How's it hanging buddy?" Natsu asked with his trademark grin.

Bardock narrowed his eyes and growled at the Vulcans who were beginning to get agitated. They now had two men to deal with. One who wanted to simply find a friend and the other… he was pissed off looking for a fight.

"I should be asking you that. By the way, I wanted to use my Aera to catch you but Bardock wouldn't let me." Happy said feigning a sad smile.

"Still want to catch him?" Bardock asked.

Happy got a Cheshire smile on his features. He thought Bardock was joking around to an extent. But Bardock didn't really want to do deal with Dumb and Dumber so he figured to kill Two Birds with one stone… figuratively of course.

"W-wait a minute guys! Can't we talk about this?" Natsu squeaked out.

Bardock smiled a dark smile.

"Nah I'm just screwin' with ya kid. Let's get this over with."

Natsu sighed in relief before smiling again. Bardock then gently tossed Natsu back through the breach in the cave. Then Natsu did several flips before landing gracefully on his feet. Lucy ran over to check on him while Happy hopped off of Bardock's shoulder and finally got to use his Aera.

Bardock floated down into the cave and walked past the group stopping in front of them.

"So these are Vulcans?"

Bardock didn't even bother glancing back for Natsu's response.

"Yep! And they got Macao here I'm sure of it!" Natsu said taking a battle stance.

"That's all I needed to know. Lucy!" Bardock said getting the attention of the blonde in question.

Lucy perked up still clutching the blanket, this time with one hand.

"Yeah?"

Bardock peaked over his left shoulder.

"I need you to summon a spirit."

Lucy was confused by this request.

"How come?" Lucy asked.

Bardock then put his eyes back on the Vulcans.

"It's simple really. That Spirit and Natsu will keep you safe and capture the Vulcans… after I'm done."

Lucy slightly sweat dropped at this while Natsu on the other hand…

"What?! That's such a load of crap! This is my mission not yours-"

"Quiet!"

Natsu stopped talking and was shocked by the authority in Bardock's voice.

Bardock didn't need to say anything else and let his power do the talking. He shifted his feet and slightly bent his arms to power up. Before he did so, he sent warning to the Vulcans who were in for the worst beat down of their lives.

"This won't even be a warm up." Bardock stated with a scowl.

He then let out a short primal scream and flared his white aura. His power was an awesome sight to behold and even better, an awesome thing to feel… if you were on his side. Bardock's power let off bits of static and blew his hair up briefly.

 _("Dude… did his power just increase? He really was holding back in Hargeon.")_ Natsu thought a little fearfully.

 _("He can increase his power just like that?!")_ Lucy thought along the same lines and emotions as her fire breathing friend.

Happy of course was in awe. The Vulcans on the other hand… let's just say they had reason to be nervous.

"Where's that spirit Lucy?" Natsu asked nervously.

"O-oh right s-sorry." Lucy replied.

Lucy then whipped out a golden key with her left hand.

"Open Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"

*Ding-dong*

"Moooo!"

Coming in from the celestial world was Taurus. He had a human body with a cow's head. Said body was very muscular like a body builder but his skin color or fur or whatever was like that of a cow. He wore boots, gloves, brandished a huge ax and… a freakin' speedo?! What the hell…

Bardock paid no mind to this and was ready for a quick fight, now that Lucy followed his orders.

"So… who's first?" Bardock asked while his aura vanished.

The Vulcans were a bit nervous and apprehensive. Bardock just powered up and the amount he was given off could scare off anyone in Earth Land (yes anyone). The scary part was… Bardock was nowhere near full power.

"If you won't start then I will." Bardock darkly muttered.

What ensued could be described as a Grade-A ass kicking. Bardock rushed forward hitting one Vulcan with a vicious elbow to the face, knocking him out immediately. Following that, Bardock landed on his feet, crouched down and swept the legs of a Vulcan whose senses were not working at the moment. Once the second Vulcan hit the ground hard, Bardock jumped up and came down performing a curb stomp to its head effectively taking it out of the fight.

Now there were Three Vulcans left, including the leader. Bardock turned around and saw his remaining opponents back away. He smiled a devious smile and was about to put a good strategy to use. Utilizing the ice, Bardock rushed forward and got in the prone position to perform a body slide underneath the leftmost Vulcan. The idiot never saw what was coming next. Bardock slid between the legs of the beast, grabbed its tail and then jumped up. It was only a split second later when Bardock swung his victim like a wrecking ball, hitting the other two Vulcans in one swing. Close Quarters combat backfired against the Vulcans this day.

The force of Bardock's attack sent the leader into the wall, the fourth Vulcan into the ceiling, lodged between ice pillars, and the fifth… he was unconscious as a result of how hard he hit his fellow ape-beast brothers.

Bardock let go of the tail of the fifth Vulcan and walked over to the leader. He grabbed him by the leg and dislodged him from the wall, just as the said wall collapsed revealing the outside of the cave. Bardock then dragged the leader back to where Natsu and company stood.

 _("Five Vulcans… in under 30 seconds no less… I'm so out of my league here.")_ Lucy thought to herself solemnly.

 _("At least he didn't kill them… now we can finally find Macao.")_ Natsu thought.

"Miss Lucy? I think I'm no longer needed." Taurus stated snapping Lucy out of her daze.

"Oh right. Thanks anyways for coming Taurus I appreciate it." Lucy said with a smile.

Taurus leaned down to her with heart eyes and Lucy's reaction was pretty typical.

"Um what are you doing?" Lucy deadpanned.

"Since you appreciate me so much then how about a smooooch?"

Lucy let out a groan before dismissing the perverted cow to the Celestial spirit world. Natsu and Happy snickered at this display.

"If you three are done…"

The trio in question turned to see that Bardock had the lead Vulcan at his feet. He then crossed his arms before speaking up.

"Let's hurry up and find your friend. I don't have all day and neither do you." Bardock said with all seriousness.

Natsu and Lucy nodded at this. Happy was standing by Natsu looking like he was thinking about something. Lucy noticed this and decided inquire about the Exceed's thoughts.

"Something wrong Happy?" Lucy asked.

Happy then looked like a light bulb went off in his head.

"I remembered something important!" Happy exclaimed.

Natsu turned his body slightly so both his friends and the Vulcan were in view. Bardock merely shifted his gaze to Happy wordlessly pressing him to speak.

"What? Will this help us find Macao?" Lucy inquired.

"Yeah I think so."

Bardock narrowed his eyes.

"You think or you know?" Bardock asked impatiently.

"You see Vulcans are also masters at body possession magic. Which means…" Happy trailed off allowing the wheels of thought to click in his friends heads.

Bardock didn't have the information on all the magic in the world so he just remained quiet. Natsu and Lucy on the other hand had their own reactions.

"Which means one of these Vulcans can actually be Macao…" Natsu uttered in shock.

 _("Damn… well they're not dead. So the worse he'll get off with is a headache at best… and maybe some broken bones.")_ Bardock thought to himself.

"Wait how is that possible?! Happy explain this!" Lucy demanded.

"Vulcans can use body possession magic to take over humans, using them as hosts. They'll look like Vulcans on the outside but really they're-" Happy was cut off by Bardock.

"I get it. Basically these monsters possessed your friend's body."

"Aye." Happy said with a serious nod.

Bardock then hummed low before speaking up again.

"Since there weren't that many of those things that fought us, I can guess that your friend took out the rest."

Natsu quirked an eyebrow, Happy kept a serious expression and Lucy was simply shocked and her mouth was agape.

"It makes sense really. He took on a large number and eventually got overwhelmed. Which means one of these big boys is your friend. And my best bet is he's the leader." Bardock said motioning towards the Vulcan at his feet, presumed to be Macao.

As if on cue, a bright light enveloped the figure momentarily blinding the group before the light turned to smoke to reveal badly injured Macao Conbolt.

"Oh my goodness…" Lucy uttered, voice full of worry upon seeing Macao's condition.

"Macao! Happy get the first aid ready!" Natsu ordered.

"Aye sir!" Happy said before flying over to the bags nearby.

Natsu was about to move Macao away from the exit to the cave but Bardock stepped in. He threw Macao over his shoulder and motioned for Natsu to follow him.

 **Several Minutes Later**

Bardock was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He watched over the triage station that was setup for Macao. He knew the experienced mage was going to survive so he wasn't worried. His friends on the other hand didn't share the same thought.

Macao had a deep cut along the right side of his abdomen and risked losing good amounts of blood. But given who just rescued him, they weren't going to allow that for much longer.

Happy was handling all the supplies, doing his best to stay strong despite how dire Macao's outlook was.

Natsu and Lucy were doing their best as emergency medics. Lucy of course had some nerves and wasn't handling this as well as Natsu hoped but he comforted her as best he could. She took his encouragement and pressed on.

"Cauterize the wound kid. It'll probably hurt him but it won't kill him."

Natsu looked over with wide eyes. He gritted his teeth and looked down in frustration. Lucy of course didn't think it was a good suggestion.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Lucy yelled.

"You want to save him or not?" Bardock asked with an edge in his voice.

"Bardock…"

The man mentioned shifted his glare towards the pink haired boy.

"Go easy on her alright? I'll do it." Natsu stated, a look of resolve on his face.

"But Natsu…" Lucy said worried.

Bardock let out a grunt and eased on his glare, shifting his focus back on Macao.

"Lucy hold his hand." Natsu said looking down at the wound.

"Alright." Lucy replied reluctantly.

Natsu lit his right hand on fire and kept his left hand Macao's right shoulder. He took a good look at Macao who was struggling to stay conscious.

"Okay Macao this is going to sting… a lot."

Natsu then took a deep breath before exhaling. Lucy clutched Macao's hand a little tighter; knowing what was about to happen wasn't going to pleasant.

"Three… two… one…"

In a swift motion Natsu brought his hand down on Macao's right side and Macao screamed out in agony. Happy winced at the pain Macao was experiencing but knew the mage was better off given that he wouldn't be bleeding anymore. Lucy closed her eyes doing her best to keep calm and ignore the vice like grip Macao was putting on her hand. Natsu of course was focused on keeping Macao still so he could successfully cauterize the wound. And then there was Bardock… he wasn't fazed at all. I mean given his experiences in the past this was nothing.

"I… can't believe… I let… I let myself get taken out so easily…"

Lucy, Happy and Bardock had turned their heads to the source of the words spoken. Macao was in agony but he would live thanks to the group's efforts in the rescue and the treatment he was receiving.

"How many?" Bardock asked.

Macao opened his eyes slightly and turned his head away from Bardock. Natsu made a quick glance towards his left to see Macao wasn't doing too well emotionally, like he lost a bit of his confidence given how the job went for him.

"There were twenty total. I took out nineteen of em but… GAH!"

Macao looked down at where Natsu's hand was.

"Try not to move too much alright?" Natsu asked calmly.

Macao then laid his head back on the makeshift pillow and continued.

"Anyways… the last one called for reinforcements. Got the jump on me and…" Macao was cut off by Bardock.

"You ended up being their leader and fighting us."

Macao's response to Bardock's question was simply silence. Macao's pride as a wizard was in tatters and he couldn't face Romeo like this. He was ashamed of the fact that a job he figured he could handle went so awry that he needed help to finish it. But his worries were seemingly squashed by some rare sense of encouragement from Bardock, who of course he just met.

"Hmph. Way I see it you did good. Nineteen monsters is definitely something to be proud of… especially once your boy hears about this."

Macao looked at Bardock with slightly widened eyes and his mouth agape. Natsu, Lucy and Happy each had small smiles. For a guy who is the toughest around it seems, he had his moments where he could actually be nice.

"Once you can stand on your own feet, let's get you home." Bardock said.

He then uncrossed his arms and went over to the exit where he stood and watched the snow fall. Macao watched the man bewildered by his behavior and his kindness.

 _("He's right… I have to own this. I made my boy proud and I won't let this slip up get me down.")_ Macao thought quirking his lips upward into a smile.

 **Sometime Later**

 **Magnolia**

A saddened Romeo is sitting near a fountain and reading a book to pass the time. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye came five figures into view, one of which he recognized immediately.

Natsu was holding up a recovering Macao, both were beaming bright smiles like a couple of idiots. Happy was jumping for joy while giving his greetings to the young boy who just discovered them. Lucy was nothing but smiles as well, feeling relief and a sense of accomplishment helping her friends.

And then there was Bardock, who hung back at a distance. His arms were crossed as leaned against a building so his side was facing the group headed towards Romeo.

Macao walked over to Romeo and squatted down to give him a big hug. Romeo with tears and a smile welcomed his father with a hug of his own.

"I'm sorry Daddy."

"I'm sorry I worried you Romeo."

Natsu and Lucy shared a glance at each other, each person widening their smiles. Bardock who was a good distance from the group formed a small smile of his own after closing his eyes and letting out a grunt.

"Listen son, if those kids ever pick on you again…" Macao said bringing his son of his embrace.

"You tell 'em that your Dad took down nineteen monsters like a pro!" Macao said with a confident smile.

All Romeo could do was imitate Natsu's grin, tears still running down his face. This boy couldn't be any happier and he still needed to thank some people for what they done.

Bardock had caught up to Natsu and company, deciding to head back to the guild and inform Makarov of their travels.

"Natsu! Happy! Lucy! Thank you!" Romeo yelled.

The only ones who turned back to wave was Lucy following close behind Natsu and Happy who was hanging off of Natsu's pack.

Natsu simply lifted his hand and gave a motion, meaning anything he'd do for a friend.

"And Bardock! Thank you too!"

The man mentioned stopped and turned slightly. He looked Romeo in his eyes and simply gave him a nod before turning around and re-joining his friends… yeah that sounded about right.

* * *

 **A/N: Bardock getting friends? Say it isn't so! And so soon?**

 **Well let's just say the guy is warming up to them. Like I said before, he's adjusting.**

 **Hopefully that short fight scene lived up to whatever small hype I put into it. Although to my knowledge I know Vulcans possess bodies and have a thing for human females, I don't know their eating habits so Bardock assumed this during the chapter. Keep in mind, Bardock is still somewhat new and it will show in later chapters.**

 **Oh and yes, he was still holding back. He just wanted to intimidate his enemy a little. He easily could have maimed or killed the Vulcans but his instincts told him to hold back a little. Plus his Saiyan hearing picked up that brief conversation in the cave so yeah.**

 **Anyways that's all for now. Thank you to all the fellow authors and to the readers as well. You guys are awesome!**

 **See ya later!**


	6. Joining Fairy Tail

**A/N: Welcome back everyone!**

 **Glad you guys are still sticking with me on this story, it means a lot!**

 **Now then, I've been responding to reviews and I have to say I'm digging them so far. I've also been taking into consideration some of the ideas that's been thrown around and also I've been careful not to spoil too much of the story to each of you. Before we jump into things, I need to address the crowd.**

 **1\. Gine will be appearing in the story. I can't say anything beyond that or that would be spoilers.**

 **2\. The Dragon Ball Series Villains won't be rearing their heads until the Tower of Heaven Arc. No Villain is off limits in my selection although I already decided who's fighting and for what purpose.**

 **3\. Bardock isn't going to become a Rune Knight or join up with the Magic Council. Reason being is that he just got done dealing with Frieza for starters. He still has a bad taste in his mouth dealing with authority and when he eventually meets the council, it would only reaffirm his standing on that matter. Sorry guys!**

 **There was more I wanted to add but lost my train of thought. With that let's jump right in!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

 **And, here we... go!**

* * *

 **Evening**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

The rescue mission was a success!

The guild was not only relieved to hear Macao was safe but ecstatic at the other bits of information they received.

Natsu gave details of the trip and what happened, even the particular parts that seemed to embarrass Lucy a great deal. But what got everyone's attention was the mystery man with a scar and a bandana, who took on five Vulcans (one being Macao) and won in under 30 seconds tops. The feat itself was hard to believe but Makarov didn't doubt it for a second.

 _("He's hiding more power than I realized… and maybe that's a good thing.")_

Makarov looked over past the crowd to his left as he sat on the bar. Bardock had taken the same spot and had the same stance as he leaned on a support beam.

 _("Why is he isolating himself from everyone else? What is your story I wonder?")_

"So where's Macao now? I was hoping to share a drink with him."

Natsu turned his attention to Cana, who was holding onto a large barrel of liquor.

"He's with Romeo obviously." Natsu said matter of factly.

Cana gave a smile even though she was a bit drunk. The evidence wasn't in her speech but with the fact her face was a bit flushed as usual.

"Still you did well you guys! We're proud of you!" Mira chimed in cheerfully.

"We'd do anything for our friends. Right you guys?" Natsu asked with enthusiasm.

Lucy simply nodded with a smile that hasn't left her since they got back. Happy of course gave a good "Aye" while eating his fish. The rest of the crowd that gathered around simply chuckled at this, including the Master.

Bardock was just keeping out of the spotlight, it was better this way. The less attention on who he was the better. Although he didn't mind getting acknowledged for this deed he had done, he still tried to keep the eyes off him. Apparently someone didn't get the memo…

"Um excuse me?"

As Bardock was looking at the floor, a pair of feminine feet came into view.

"Hm?" Bardock more or less hummed as his head tilted up slightly.

"Didn't you go with Natsu and Lucy to Mount Hakabe?" the woman asked.

Bardock simply grunted and closed his eyes.

"Don't forget the blue fur ball. But yeah that's me. Who's askin'?"

"Our leader that's who!" Jet angrily stated.

"Show some respect man!" Droy threatened.

Bardock opened his eyes and now saw three figures. Apparently the bluenette had bodyguards.

Enter Team Shadow Gear. There was Jet, a young man with orange hair that was obscured by a ridiculous hat with fur and a tacky jacket to boot. Then there was Droy, a slim guy like his buddy but with black hair. His outfit of course was also tacky as hell. Seriously who dressed these guys?

And lastly there was Levy McGarden, the 'team leader' according to her loyal followers. According to many around the guild, she's an avid reader and could easily be a librarian or a school teacher if she had a second career. By no means though should she give up being a mage. What Bardock heard was the young mage practiced Solid Script Magic. Given his limited knowledge on magical abilities and magic types, he'll just learn through conversation or observation.

Bardock then smiled darkly and let out a grunt.

"Team Shadow gear right? Still getting used to names and faces… seeing how I'm new here and all."

"That's right. My name is Levy McGarden, it's very nice to meet you. These two behind me are my teammates Jet and Droy." Levy said with a smile and a slight bow.

Bardock stood up off the beam and uncrossed his arms.

"Likewise… I guess." Bardock said half-heartedly.

"So you beat five Vulcans in under 30 seconds? That's really amazing." Levy complimented.

"It's no big deal. Besides… that fight wasn't even close to a warm up for me."

Jet and Droy shot daggers at the man they thought as arrogant. Sure they were grateful for him aiding Natsu in bringing Macao back but they were skeptical some new guy could be that strong.

"I was wondering, if it isn't too much to ask… would you like to join our team?" Levy asked hopefully.

Jet and Droy suddenly had panicked looks on their faces. Bardock on the other hand crossed his arms and dropped his smile.

"Sorry Levy, but I work solo. Speaking of work…" Bardock trailed off.

Levy was disappointed but her disappointment was quickly replaced by curiosity.

"Old man!"

Master Makarov looked over to see Bardock make his way through the crowd and stand to the Master's left side so Makarov simply turned his head.

"Let's get this over with. I got things I need to do."

Makarov formed a wide grin and leaned back to get Mira's attention.

"Mira dear, could you get the stamp please. I think our friend here is joining our guild today."

Mira gleefully cupped her hands and smiled.

"That's wonderful Master!" Mira exclaimed.

"Really Bardock? You mean it?"

Natsu was giddy and Lucy shook her head in amusement at his energy. They were just on a somewhat dangerous mission to rescue a comrade and he's back it with that endless pool of enthusiasm. He really meant what he said when he was 'all fired up'.

"Yeah kid. Guess I'm sticking around a bit longer." Bardock said with a smirk.

"Woo hoo~!" Nastu yelled while jumping and doing a fist pump in the air.

The rest of the guild simply chuckled at his typical child-like behavior. Mira then got Bardock's attention.

"Where would you like your guild mark?" Mira asked.

Bardock pulled down the sleeve on his left arm and presented it before the barmaid.

"Just above my wrist. And make sure it's in black."

Mira of course complied. She gently stamped a Fairy Tail mark on Bardock's foream, just above the wrist and in a puff of magic smoke the mark appeared in black.

"Thanks." Bardock said pulling his sleeve back up to cover his forearm.

"So what will you do now my boy? Will you be finding work soon?" Makarov chimed in.

Bardock flexed his left hand and then let it fall to his side. He looked up and had a serious look on his face. It was a long day and the last thing he wanted to worry about was work.

"Work can wait. Until I get a challenge, I'm going to train."

Bardock then walked through the crowd and exited the guild. Just like that, the guild's newest member didn't want to revel in the fact he joined a great guild. But he was tired and very few people understood his situation and sympathized with him.

Natsu crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side as he looked at the doors where his newest guild mate just left.

"What's up with him?" Natsu wondered aloud.

Lucy walked up next to him and voiced her opinion.

"Given what we know so far I think he's just tired Natsu. Give him some time okay?"

Natsu glanced over and nodded his head. He understood somewhat but he wasn't going to give up so easily. Until then, it would be business as usual until he saw Bardock again.

 **Night Time**

 **Forests outside of Magnolia**

Something was wrong.

The visions had somehow wormed their way back into Bardock's head and he wasn't handling it well.

Since becoming a member of Fairy Tail hours ago and leaving the guild hall, Bardock focused on finding a place where he could have some solitude. He also wanted this same place to be where he could hone his body and his skills.

Not too long after the guild closed down for the day, Bardock snuck in and procured camping supplies. He would tell the master later of course but his survival was the most important thing on his mind in the moment. After setting up a small campsite, Bardock fell asleep only to awaken violently from what he dreamt.

Sitting up and holding his head, Bardock was shaking and sweating profusely.

"Radditz… Kakarot… what the hell did you two do?!" Bardock muttered to himself.

* * *

 **Three Days Later**

 **Morning Time**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

It's been an eventful past three days for Bardock, Fairy Tail's resident Saiyan warrior. He hasn't a decent night's sleep since the last vision he had so he managed a few hours of rest the previous nights. Given Bardock's experience as a soldier and a traveler, this setback wasn't going to deter him. Especially given that he was true to his word and began immediately honing his body. How? Well he got a little help…

 **Flashback**

 **Morning after Rescuing Macao**

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

Bardock is dressed in his Saiyan Battle uniform and looking at a rock in front of him. He wasn't feeling all that social since last night. He didn't feel like going to the guild and lashing out if someone annoyed him. What bothered the newest member of Fairy Tail? His latest vision of his son… and the horrible tragedy that seemingly occurred.

* * *

 **Bardock's Vision (Last Night)**

 **Age 761, October 12** **th**

 **Earth**

Gohan has damaged Radditz at the cost of him losing consciousness. An injured Goku locks Radditz in a full nelson in an attempt to give Piccolo a chance to end this deadly encounter.

"What are you doing?! You fool, you'll kill us both!"

"Piccolo! I got him! Do it now!" Goku pleaded.

The said namekian had his index and middle finger extended from his right fist, energy building up at the tip of both. He was going to get sweet revenge on Goku for what happened several years earlier and as a bonus… payback Goku's alleged brother for taking his left arm. He was going to regrow the arm eventually if victorious but that was beside the point…

"This is it… I'll finish him." Piccolo uttered darkly with an evil, feral smile.

He then extened his right arm and shouted the words that would be the death sentence for the Saiyan brothers.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

A yellow and purple ki spiral beam shot forth and found its mark. The sheer power of the attack lifted both men off the ground and pierced through them like a sharpened sword. They didn't die instantly but they did succumb to their injuries moments after. Bardock's vision showed everything until the moment they separated after being mortally wounded.

 _("What… This can't be… But if he's dead… then who will stop Frieza?!")_

* * *

 **End of Vision**

 **Morning after Rescuing Macao**

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

Out of anger Bardock put his fist into the large boulder, shattering it due to his immense strength. The force of his punch also sent a small tremor to his surroundings, alerting the animals and spooking them to an extent.

Desperate for answers he may never get, Bardock fell to his hands and knees visibly frustrated by what he was shown in his recent vision. He gritted his teeth and clinched the dirt in his hands.

"What the hell can I do… Dammit what the hell am I supposed to do?!" Bardock said punching the dirt.

He closed his eyes trying to make all the despair go away. The chaos in his heart and in his soul ate away at him, this latest vision didn't help.

 _("Gine… did I do the right thing? Maybe I really wasn't a good father…")_

Several moments passed as Bardock struggled to his feet. His eyes were fixed on the ground and tried to find a reason to keep going. He was stuck in a different universe, his sons may or may not be dead and he needed something to give his soul a spark. His fire and drive had diminished, something needed to change.

Just then Bardock held his head and notice a bright light shining behind him. When he turned around, the light disappeared instantly.

 _("What?")_ Bardock thought in disbelief.

"What was that?"

The Rebel then lowered his gaze to the ground where apparently there was a package and… a scroll.

 _("Him… That bastard.")_ Bardock growled out in his head.

He walked over, got on one knee and took the scroll in his hands. Opening the scroll slowly, the first passage was a surprise.

 _("Well I'll be damned.")_

The first passage of the scroll was a greeting and an apology by the mysterious Saiyan Bardock encountered before coming to Earth Land. Also, the first passage warned of the threats Bardock would face.

 _("So these guys coming here… they're from alternate Earths native to my son's new home? Or something like that… still not straightforward on the details eh?")_ Bardock thought as he stood up.

The next couple of passages then talked about Goku's situation, Bardock's extensive training regimen and… some new gear that would help?

 _("So these Dragon Balls will resurrect him huh? That's a relief. But now my son and his comrades will deal with Nappa and Prince Vegeta… good luck with that.")_

The scroll disappeared in rings of light and Bardock then turned his attention to the package. He got down on one knee again and opened the package.

 _("Wait a miunte… this looks like…")_

* * *

 **Present**

 **Morning Time**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

Bardock walks in through the guild doors, having a bag slung over his shoulder. Makarov and Mira were the first to notice him.

"Good morning Bardock!" Mira greeted from behind the bar.

"Bardock my boy, good to see you! I was hoping to speak to… you…" Makarov said, voice dying down slowly.

Bardock was sporting new clothing since the last time anyone saw him. He wore a martial arts gi, identical to his son's although the undershirt was a ¾ sleeve instead of a short sleeve and the colors of the gi were almost identical to his Saiyan uniform.

The top and pants were a dark navy color, the sash that was obscured by his tail was red, and the boots were also navy with green lining. The undershirt he wore was red. Lastly, Bardock wore red wristbands and continued to model off his signature bandana. After all, that bandana represented a promise made and the memory of a fallen comrade… and his best friend.

Bardock made his way to the bar and set his bag down before taking a seat. He cupped his hands together, thumbs holding his chin as he leaned forward.

"Speak to me about what?"

Makarov sighed and then re-directed his gaze towards the guild members to his front instead keeping it on the one to his side.

"We haven't seen you since the rescue so I was hoping to get your opinion on some things. And discuss guild business with you." Makarov replied.

Mira shifted from behind the bar so she could ask Bardock something.

"Would you like something to drink Bardock?"

He looked at her and gave a small smile.

"Sure. I'll take one water and one… I guess I could use something not too strong to take the edge off."

Mira nodded warmly and left.

Bardock's smile dropped and went back to his previous conversation.

"So… what exactly do you need my opinion on?" Bardock asked turning in his seat.

"Well… where do I start?"

The two men sat in silence before Mira returned with Bardock's drinks. He thanked her before she returned to her duties maintaining the bar and taking care of any service orders.

"Do you like it here so far?" Makarov asked.

Bardock grunted and took a sip of liquor first. He had to admit… whatever drink this was, it wasn't bad. That Mirajane sure did know her way around drinks.

"I have my own place in the forest, nobody bothers me and I have a stable job. So yeah I guess I am." Bardock replied truthfully.

Makarov hummed in thought before continuing.

"I see you and Natsu got along rather well. The boy seems to have taken a liking to you."

"And?" Bardock pushed while quirking a brow.

"Oh it's nothing just an observation…" Makarov replied before releasing a tired sigh.

Bardock settled his brow before looking around the guild hall. He noticed two things. One, that Team Shadow Gear was a little bummed out and bored. Two…

"Speaking of which where is that kid?"

Mira popped up, this time she wasn't manning the bar.

"Oh that's right! You weren't here when that happened so no one was able to fill you in on the details." Mira stated.

Details? And what exactly did happen? How much has Bardock missed since his training began?

"Okay… what exactly did I miss?"

Makarov and Mira shared a glance with smiles before Makarov spoke.

"Natsu, Lucy and Happy took a job request that originally paid 200,000 Jewels. And guess what the sponsor did?"

Bardock processed this for a short moment before coming up with an answer.

"He didn't cancel it because if that were the case, those three would still be here. Meaning he increased the reward to an amount so big…" Bardock trailed off.

He then stood up after finishing his liquor and stretched a little.

"It bummed out those three over there."

Mira giggled while Makarov nodded his head.

"You are correct. I'm surprised Natsu didn't seek you out so you could go with them."

Bardock took a few gulps and finished his water in seconds. He grabbed his bag and slung it back over his shoulder.

"I've got more important things to do right now." Bardock replied with a serious look.

Mira and Makarov looked at the rebel somewhat curiously.

"Is that why you look so different?" Mira inquired.

"Yes I almost forgot to ask… where in the world did you get those clothes?" Makarov asked.

Bardock grunted and turned around to walk towards the guild doors. He stopped after a few steps and glanced over his shoulder.

"These were sent by someone I know. Anyways, if you need me I'll be in the forest." Bardock said before walking out of the guild.

Mira returned to behind the bar to polish glasses while Makarov continued sitting on the bar enjoying his down time.

"I'm surprised Master. Didn't you mention to me earlier you were thinking of him as an S-Class candidate?"

Makarov simply grinned and played with his mustache in his free hand.

"He's more than just a candidate my dear. I'm strongly considering making him an S-Class wizard."

Mira's mouth dropped and she clutched the glass close to her heart.

"Why Master, you're really serious about this?" Mira asked shocked.

The man nodded his head, devilish grin still present.

 _("Of course he'll have to prove it to us first. But I believe he's a great addition to our fine guild and would be a better addition to our select few who have proven themselves S-Class quality. It's only a matter of time…")_ Makarov thought in confidence.

* * *

 **A Couple of hours later**

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

 **Near Bardock's Campsite**

A warrior trains his body before training the mind.

Several boulders have been smashed to bits and pieces, likely from the force of the punches dished out by a certain Rebel.

"4,997…"

Right now…

"4,998…"

The Rebel was doing one handed push-ups…

"4,999…"

 _("I will get stronger! And I will see my son again!")_

"5,000!"

His body collapsed. Bardock then rolled onto his back and stared at the sky. It was a slightly windy day, so the clouds were in transit across the blue space above.

 _("Whatever this mission is… I won't back down. I'll take 'em all on!")_

Bardock grinned despite the slight physical exhaustion. His journey was going to be a long one… but this was a nice first step.

* * *

 **A/N: And there we have it! Bardock is officially a member of Fairy Tail and he's already attracted attention from several members if not most members of the guild. I know it's cliche but it's definitely going to be a different dynamic then what you're used to seeing. Goku is more sociable, likes to train and hang out with friends. Bardock just dealt with the mess when confronting Frieza so he'll isolate himself to an extent but he won't be totally anti-social.**

 **But don't worry, Bardock won't be joining any teams in the forseeable future. As he told Levy, he will be working primarily on his own. As you all know, when comparing Fairy Tail and Dragon Ball Z (Or Super or even GT), the power scale is ridiculous.**

 **So let's go over the story so far.**

 **1\. Visions and Flashbacks will play a role in Bardock's character development.**

 **2\. Bardock is working solo. He's a one man army.**

 **3\. Thanks to the Gi, Bardock will be training intensely. It is a very unique Gi created by Bardock's mysterious ally.**

 **Now my good readers and fellow authors... updates will either be coming twice a week or once a week depending.**

 **Next Arc up is Lullaby because I skipped the Everlue story. There will be mentions of that mission when Erza returns. Speaking of, Erza will see Bardock as a mentor, almost father figure but not right away. Also she and many others will butt heads later on due to some questionable decisions made by Bardock in upcoming chapters. Oh and just an FYI, Fairy Tail and other Light guilds kill as a last resort when it comes to enemies deemed too, which is an exception to the No Killing rule. This will be important in future chapters.**

 **See ya Later!**


	7. The Return of The Knight

**A/N: You guys! You came back!**

 **I knew you would! You guys never disappoint. Anyways welcome back to The Lost Warrior. Today's chapter is the first of the Lullaby Arc. Believe me when I say it doesn't follow the mainstream. Plus you'll likely enjoy the beat down coming in later chapters.**

 **So to recap...**

 **Bardock was saved from death at the hands of the tyrant that used to be his boss. Now he's in Earth Land where people use magic and stuff, dress weird and to boot look weird too. Now he's training his butt off, preparing to face off against threats native to where he comes from. He's developing to kinship to the members of Fairy Tail slowly but assuredly. Even though he lost everything, Bardock has a new mission and wakes up every morning with a new purpose to fight again.**

 **Before I go just got to say...**

 **1\. Final Season of Fairy Tail will be bittersweet.**

 **2\. The Dragon Ball Super Movie coming next year will be amazing!**

 **3\. Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest... Mashima should quit trollin with Canon pairings and end our suffering. Hopefully Natsu will man up for once and stop being so dense even though we all know that he knows about Love.**

 **4\. Edens Zero is definitely a recommended read!**

 **Let's do this!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Some time Later**

 **Morning Time**

 **Magnolia**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

It's a glorious morning for the most rambunctious guild in all the land!

And it's been some time since Natsu and Happy took Lucy on the Everlue mission. Although they didn't get the reward, they were successful in giving a family some closure and dishing out some sweet justice to Duke Everlue (a total asswipe with bad eyes). Additionally, Lucy more or less earned another Celestial Spirit Key. It was the Golden Key belonging to that of the maiden: Virgo.

Speaking of Lucy…

"So many jobs to choose from…"

Mira looked over to see Lucy was a bit hesitant to choose just any job from the board.

"Hmm… what to do…" Lucy trailed off.

"Once you choose a job come see me okay? The master isn't currently in right now, so job requests will be going straight through me for now."

Lucy turned her head in sudden surprise to see Mira at the bar… and the master wasn't there.

"Thanks Mira. Where is he by the way?" Lucy asked with genuine curiosity.

"He's at a very important league meeting or so he says." Mira replied before giggling.

Okay, now Lucy was more curious than before. A league meeting?

"A league meeting? What's that?" Lucy asked.

"I'm so glad you asked!"

The Barmaid was more than happy to take the question given her knowledge on the workings of magic guilds and the rules.

"Oh Reedus, may I borrow your light pen for a moment?" Mira asked warmly.

"Oui." Reedus replied with a smile.

The white haired woman hummed a tune as she drew letters using the magic utensil. Her and her blonde companion stood side by side looking at the letters before an explanation ensued.

"You see Lucy, at the top of our lovely world of magic is the government officials and the Magic Council. They're in charge when it comes to safety for the general public and promote a strong sense of order as well. With the Council at the top, it means they are able to judge wizards for any crimes they commit." Mira explained.

Lucy nodded her head intently, urging Mira to continue.

"Just below the Magic Council are the guild masters, including our own. One of the many responsibilities of a guild master is to communicate all council decisions. They also keep a set line of communication between nearby guilds in the region, call it a professional courtesy. Even so, many guild masters are close friends so it can be a personal courtesy as well." Mira continued.

Lucy glanced over to her companion to speak what was on her mind.

"And guild masters like Makarov take care of wizards like us right?" Lucy asked with a smile.

Mira nodded her before turning to the drawing with a slightly serious look.

"All guilds you can say are connected in a way. But if those connections aren't treated with care well…" Mira trailed off.

The blonde girl's mouth fell slightly open at her friend's ominous words, turning to her for an explanation. Well… the explanation would come, just not from the source she expected.

"That's when the dark ones come out!" Natsu yelled behind Lucy before laughing a villainous laugh.

The poor celestial wizard got a scare and was on the verge of tears.

"Natsu you jerk! Don't scare me like that!" Lucy said upset.

"But you were so priceless! Ha ha ha ha!" Natsu stated, proud of his handiwork.

"Aye! We should give her a nickname for that Natsu!" Happy chimed in.

"We totally should." Natsu said with his hands behind his head.

"No nicknames please…" Lucy expressed, exasperated at the thought.

Mira, being an audience to the exchange simply giggled at this before finishing the last of her explanation.

"The 'dark ones' as Natsu put it do exist though. They're known as Dark Guilds and they are magic guilds that act independently." Mira stated.

"Yeah. They're strong, frightening and don't care much for the rules at all." Natsu chimed in.

"Aye." Happy acknowledged in agreement.

"Yeah and if you're lucky they'll come to recruit someone like you." Lucy said with a frown.

Natsu chuckled at this and Mira giggled some more.

"So Lucy, you picking our mission today?"

"Yeah! Me and Natsu picked out the jobs last time, so it's your turn. Hope you find us a good one."

The spirited duo was then stopped in their tracks when their 'teammate' derailed that idea.

"Um excuse me? Sorry guys but I don't think this team is going to work out." Lucy said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Let's face it, given what the job asked for and if any girl was in her shoes, they would be upset too. Except Mira… no given Everlue was a total ass, she would be upset too. Plus Natsu would do more than just damage Everlue's eyes and ugly mustache had the mission involved the angelic bar maid. Luckily, for circumstances unknown to him he did that when it happened to Lucy.

Natsu and Happy blinked twice after those words sunk in. They were confused because they… don't exactly understand women.

"Really? How come?" Natsu asked in genuine confusion.

"Yeah, why not?" Happy asked, confused too.

"Because you could have dragged anyone on that job! And you were just looking for a blonde girl right? What other reason is there to keep this team together?" Lucy asked, somewhat irritated and with her arms crossed underneath her breasts.

Natsu looked her over and put his arm around her before bringing her close. Of course she blushed and turned her head to see the pink haired teen smile.

"Of course it could have been anyone Lucy, what are you talking about?"

"That's exactly what I meant!" Lucy exclaimed

Natsu's chuckle calmed Lucy down a little and she was surprised by this… that's a little bit of lie considering who she was dealing with.

"Yeah but we chose you right? And you enjoyed your first job with us last I recalled…" Natsu trailed off.

Lucy quirked her lips from a frown into a small smile. Then she puffed her cheeks and playfully pouted to show she was still a little mad.

"So?"

Natsu showed his toothy grin to her and gave a reply that was so him.

"You're a part of this team because you're so nice and you're so awesome!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Aye!" Happy cheered.

Lucy and Mira giggled at the duo acting so carefree. The fact that Lucy couldn't stay mad at him didn't bother her one bit, this is going to be a routine.

 _("Maybe I should stick with these guys… for now.")_ Lucy thought to herself a little more upbeat.

Just then a voice from a table nearby interrupted the group's interaction.

"I don't see what the big deal is. You really don't have to make any big decisions right now you know."

Natsu of course had an emotionless expression as he looked over to where the familiar voice was coming from, smile no longer present. Lucy and Mira looked over with curious expressions.

"Given what we heard about your success, I'm sure you'll be flooded with team requests before long." Gray commented, albeit smugly.

Then came Loke who put in his 'charming' two cents in, gleam ever so present around his face.

"Darling Lucy… you and I must form our own team. Let you and I discuss it over dinner!" Loke exclaimed.

Natsu's brow twitched at these two. The nerve! Lucy was his partner and a part of his team! They should definitely mind their own business. And he would remind them that the first chance he got.

Lucy's reaction was more or less…

"Um what?" Lucy deadpanned.

Gray stood out of his seat, cool confidence radiating off of him… the ladies like a man who is cold blooded. At least according to some articles in Sorcerer Weekly that's what was said.

"So… you were the one who took on two members from Southern Wolf and beat a lady who was built like an ape? Nice. Color me impressed for sure." Gray complimented looking at Lucy.

The said mage then uncrossed her arms and pointed at the man whose arm was still around her.

"You must have me confused with him." Lucy deadpanned.

A split second later, fire and ice were at it again.

"You kidding me?! Ain't no way you did all that you frickin moron!" Gray shouted.

"You wanna bring it princess?! It's on now!" Natsu retorted.

Mira meanwhile was smiling at the exchange that was so typical of her longtime friends. And of course what happened next was easily predictable.

"Gray, you might want to look down…" Mira nonchalantly commented.

"Wait what?"

Gray looked down and freaked out comically… no wonder those older women wanted him around more. Dear Mavis help this poor boy…

"Noooo! Not again! Son of a…!" Gray cursed.

"You're pathetic and you suck doofus." Natsu deadpanned at his rival's bad habit.

Just like that the fight was back on.

"What was that crap for breath?! You want the worst beating of your life now you say?!" Gray yelled, now clearly pissed off.

"Bring it on you perverted dog! I ain't afraid of someone like you!" Natsu retorted with more fury than before.

The two started trading shots and rolling around the ground, somehow avoiding dragging anyone into their scuffle. Lucy turned to Mira and Happy for a possible solution to break the boys up.

"Should I even-" Lucy was cutoff.

"Nope." Happy and Mira replied in unison.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders almost uncaringly. If these two were going at it like this every day, she might as well get used to it.

"So Lucy…" Loke began.

She turned her head to see Loke was standing where Natsu was moments before.

"You are honestly the most beautiful woman I've ever laid my eyes on. And those eyes of yours are simply stunning… even with these shades of mine on I can tell."

Lucy was a bit uneasy given that this was the same man who charmed his way into having multiple girlfriends.

"Thanks I guess…" Lucy replied a bit uneasy.

Loke was gunning for the blonde like Natsu going for his next meal. He wanted her, had to have her and was going to make her his whatever the cost. As the orange haired ladies man leaned in trying to get a kiss, all of a sudden he noticed the sound of what appeared to be metal on metal. He peered down and suddenly fear took over his system.

 _("What's up with him?")_ Lucy thought confused.

"Wait a minute… you're a celestial wizard?! This isn't fair!"

Lucy looked at her keys then at him, still confused as to what was going on. At this point she was doing her best not to catch the insanity.

"Yeah I am. Is something wrong?" Lucy asked somewhat concerned.

"This isn't going to work out! See ya!"

Loke took off in a dead sprint and left the guild quicker than anyone realized.

Mira was giggling while Happy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. All poor Lucy could do was shake her head in amusement.

"I guess he couldn't handle my charm." Lucy teased.

"I guess not. You might be too much woman for poor Loke to handle." Mira complimented.

Lucy giggled knowing she was enjoying the moment so much right now.

"Oh Mira you flatter me!" Lucy replied cheerfully.

And just as soon as he left, Loke came back. Lucy and Mira were in a bit of a giggling fit even after noticing the orange haired teen's return.

"Well, well he's back. Maybe he has his confidence back right?"

"Let's see how he does this time Mira." Lucy replied still giggling like a school girl.

"Um guys…"

Natsu and Gray still had a hold of each other when they stopped and looked at Loke.

"Dude what's up with him?" Natsu asked his rival.

"No idea. Yo Loke! What's up? You good?" Gray asked curiously.

"Yeah! You alright man?" Natsu asked concerned.

Loke's head was hanging low. Something was wrong. It's almost like the man look rejected… no that can't be it. Was he in fear? Yes that had to be it.

"She's back…"

Natsu and Gray shared a glance before releasing their respective grips on each other. Natsu placed his hands on his hips while Gray crossed his arms.

"Who?" Lucy inquired loud enough.

"Erza… she's here!"

That voice wasn't Loke's. A random member of the guild had yelled out in a fit of terror at the sight of who just walked in. The guild was in a state of fear and most everyone froze in place.

Erza Scarlett. Known as "The Queen of the Fairies", Erza is the legendary swordswoman of Fairy Tail and possesses beauty that rivals that of Mira (almost). She wore knight armor made by the famous designer brand Heart Kreuz (because other than armor they designed regular clothes too).

Currently the scarlet haired woman had entered with the horn of a beast, a trophy from her latest conquest. Her arrival or return in most people's case, caught everyone off guard. Including…

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

Bardock woke up not that long ago and ate breakfast. The food he had with him was acquired by manual means because he didn't want to depend on the guild all the time for meals. First reason being he couldn't just have a free meal from his place of employment if he wasn't working. And the second reason being he's hunted before so he wants to keep his survival skills as sharp as possible.

The rebel was nearly finished with his stretches when all of a sudden…

"Hm?"

Bardock turned his head in the direction of his new home, the city of Magnolia. He picked up on a new presence (above average power for the standards here) that must have entered the guild.

Curiously enough, Bardock was starting to get the hang of having sensory abilities by using his energy better known as Ki. He didn't know that the energy he had been using his whole life as a warrior was Ki but he got the general idea of how it worked. Ki fed off living things and when harnessed properly could be powerful in the hands of a true warrior… like the Saiyans or people like Frieza.

 _("I wonder who that can be.")_ Bardock thought before grunting.

"I'll ask Mira about it tomorrow. Until then…"

Bardock then worked his shoulders to loosen them up as he walked towards his claimed training grounds.

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

The scarlet haired mage had set the large ornament down in the middle of the guild hall. It was truly an excellent trophy and a grizzly reminder of the age old rule since the knight first joined Fairy Tail… don't mess with Erza.

"It is truly wonderful to be home again." Erza said with a smile.

The knight began scanning around, noticing no one was speaking and noticing the lack of a body…

"Hello Erza! Welcome back from your mission!" Mira greeted.

Erza's head movements stopped as her eyes landed on Mira.

"Hello Mirajane. Is the Master around by any chance?"

"I'm afraid not. You see the Master is attending a league meeting and won't be back for quite some time." Mira explained.

"I see." Erza said dropping her smile.

Loke stepped off to the side sporting a nervous smile and sweating bullets. He learned his lesson once before and wanted no part of the Queen's wrath.

"H-hi Erza. What's that you brought with you if ya don't mind me asking." Warren chimed in, doing his best not to break.

Erza had a warm smile grace her features as she flipped her hair so elegantly (she flipped her hair like one of those prissy students from Mean Girls or something… and looked absolutely fabulous while doing so).

"I'm very happy that you asked that. You see, this horn was from the beast that I defeated while defending a village. The people were such gracious hosts and to thank me, they decorated the horn for me. I most certainly thought it would make a fine addition to the guild. Wouldn't you agree?" Erza more or less calmly threatened that last part.

"Y-yes! It certainly is awesome eh he he…" Warren nervously laughed off.

"How big was the monster you think?" One random member asked.

"Given that it's Erza it had to be enormous." His friend answered.

"Now then…"

Everyone perked up anticipating Erza was about to speak.

"During my travels I have heard that you lot have caused endless amounts of destruction and have been nothing but trouble wherever you go. Your actions have brought on the unnecessary attention of the Council. Even though the Master has chosen to overlook this, I for one cannot!"

In that moment everyone was scared again. And in the next moment Erza started to critique people for some of the things they were doing or the way that they behaved… or the way that they dressed seeing how some mages liked to flaunt it. Lucy, one of Fairy Tail's recent additions was confused by this strange Redhead and the authority in which she presented herself. She then looked to her feline teammate for answers.

"Um Happy? Who is that?" Lucy asked nervously.

"Her? Oh that's just Erza. She's really strong." Happy replied.

"And bossy to boot…" Lucy mumbled under her breath.

When Erza was done giving out her 'pep talks' to her fellow guild members, she was in need of some assistance from two members of the crowd who were doing their best to avoid her.

"Now then, where are Natsu and Gray?"

The Fire and Ice rivals appeared before the knight almost instantly. And they were acting a bit like longtime friends should. In their case this was by no means normal but they had to play along.

"Oh it's Erza! We're here! I'm just hanging out with my buddy here! Right Natsu?" Gray explained faking his joy.

"Aye!" Natsu exclaimed doing his best Happy impression.

Lucy's brow twitched and she didn't understand what was happening. One of the strongest people she's ever met was just humbled when some redhead walked through the door. Just how strong was she?

"Mira? Why are the guys acting like this? I've never seen Natsu so… afraid of anything really."

Mira giggled at her blonde friend's observation.

"It's pretty simple if you've been here long enough to know. Most of us have been around each other a long time so this will easy to explain." Mira replied.

Lucy turned her head back to the show in front of her, waiting for Mira to continue.

"Natsu's love for fighting got him a severe beating from Erza." Mira began.

 _("Ouch.")_ Lucy thought while wincing.

"Gray's stripping habit got Erza on her bad side so he was given a beating as well." Mira continued.

 _("Yikes.")_ Lucy thought again with a grimace.

"And Loke… well you can put that one together on your own. You know how he can be when he sees what he wants." Mira finished.

 _("Oddly enough I don't feel so bad for that last one.")_ Lucy this time deadpanned as she thought this.

"Honestly it is so good to see you two get along so well. It warms my heart and does wonders for the morale of the guild." Erza stated with a smile.

Both of her longtime friends separated and laughed nervously, obviously trying to keep the act going on for as long as it took.

"That being said I have a request for you two." Erza said being serious this time.

Natsu and Gray exchanged glances, both unsure what Erza would need with them. Something was up.

"During my travels I heard some unsettling rumors and let's just say… they're a matter that I had wished to discuss with the Master. Seeing that he's not here I alone must decide to act on the information I have gathered. Therefore I would like you two to accompany me on this mission. Do you accept?"

You could hear a pin drop and possibly a mouse fart in the entire building. The unthinkable had just happened. Fairy Tail's legendary Queen had just requested the resident Fire Dragon Slayer and his rival the Ice-Make Wizard… go with her on a quest!

"What the hell?!" was Natsu's reaction.

"What in the hell?!" was Gray's reaction.

There was a clear buzz around the guild after this. Mira was shocked at the possibilities at what this could all mean. Lucy was feeling lost in the flow of the overall theme of the conversation. Happy was on edge because the mission they were likely going on was a complete unknown.

"Seeing your reaction must mean that you have agreed. With that I will go prepare, we depart tomorrow. Make sure you pack anything you need with you before we go." Erza said before walking off.

"Hang on she can't be serious! This isn't cool man!" Gray complained while pulling his hair.

"But I don't wanna team up with him! Ugh!" Natsu whined, slouching over in defeat.

Happy did his best to comfort his pink haired foster father. Mira of course was still shocked so Lucy tried to snap her out of it. What came from Mira's lips passed the shock onto her.

"A team of Natsu, Erza and Gray as well… could be the strongest team that Fairy Tail has ever had!"

Lucy had no words. Although she knew little of the powers of Erza, she had a feeling this statement was true and she didn't want to find out how right Mira was in this claim.

 **Several Minutes Later**

Erza had since left the guild hall to rest and ready herself for this mission no one knew the details to. Gray gathered his clothes and wallowed home in despair… but he wasn't dressed so he went home in his boxers. Natsu was face down and slightly depressed at a table nearby with his buddy Happy keeping him company.

Lucy and Mira decided to converse now that the guild settled down some.

"I hope Natsu's alright over there." Lucy said worried about her teammate.

"If you're worried about him so much maybe you should go with him tomorrow." Mira suggested.

Lucy looked at the friendly barmaid surprised.

"Really? I don't want to get in the way at all Mira. I'd be out of my league on this mission and I don't even know what they're doing." Lucy stated sadly.

Mira put down a polished mug and placed her hand over Lucy's marked hand. Presenting an encouraging smile, Mira picked up Lucy's spirits the only way she knew how.

"You're Natsu's teammate. I've known Natsu a long time and I know he will take good care of you if you go. All you have to do is support him and watch his back. Easy right?"

Mira's infectious smile gave the hesitant Lucy enough confidence to follow on her friend's advice. She returned a warm smile back at Mira before giving her reply.

"You're right Mira. I'll do my best!" Lucy exclaimed with a smile and gleam.

"That's the spirit Lucy!" Mira cheered.

Nearby a certain pink haired fire breather caught wind of this conversation. He didn't like the idea of teaming up with his rival but at least he would have his team with him.

 _("This trip won't be too bad I guess…")_ Natsu slowly smiled at his thoughts.

 **Meanwhile**

 **Eisenwald Guild**

There several dozen mages, all males, gathering in the ruins of what appeared to be the foyer. The stronger ones conversed about their recent trip and spotting some unknown but voluptuous redhead.

"Oh man did you see that chick? Damn she was hot!"

"Five minutes man! Give me five minutes with her and I could show her the true meaning of nasty!"

"If she wasn't wearing that armor man… oh the things I would do to that rack!"

As the trio of wizards approached, the lead man perked up to see the leader of the band of misfit mages.

"Where's Kageyama? I figured he'd be done by now." Erigor surmised.

"Ain't easy trying to break a seal boss you know that. And this won't be any different."

Erigor smiled sinisterly as he placed his scythe on his shoulders.

"It won't be long now boys. Those old geezers will get what's comin to em!" Erigor exclaimed.

Whatever Eisenwald's plan was… it was not going to be pretty if the Guild Masters were involved.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it! The intro chapter into the Lullaby Arc. There will be two more chapters after this before an interlude period that leads into the Galuna Island Story Arc. Unfortunately the updates will slow once the last chapter of the Lullaby Story Arc is published.**

 **Believe it or not, even with the bare bones of this story laid out all the way up to the Tower of Heaven and its subsequent aftermath, I'm trying to think of the best way to do the Galuna Arc or opting to skip it. But I'm against that option on the basis that the first two big story arcs involving Team Natsu are used as learning points. Because eventually they will see Bardock as a Father/Uncle/Mentor figure due to his accomplishments in such a short time.**

 **When this story arc concludes, you will see Bardock meet the Council and one of its more interesting members... scratch that two of them. You guessed it! Bardock will be meeting Ultear and Jellal (Or Siegrain as he called himself). And you will also see Bardock give his impressions of meeting them both.**

 **And yes, I assumed Saiyans didn't know what Ki was and they called it energy this whole time. Bardock's a warrior and a former soldier in Frieza's army, he's trained to adapt to any situation. That plus his abilities as a Saiyan aid him in the self-teaching aspect of his training. But you will also see how visions and flashback impact his training as well. Oops spoilers!**

 **Thanks to everyone who has been reading or viewing the story! I forgot to mention this last chapter but it slipped my mind, my bad!**

 **Shout out to the fellow authors and readers who took interest as well!**

 **See ya later!**


	8. A New Enemy

**A/N: Sup guys!**

 **Time for another chapter of The Lost Warrior!**

 **Now keep in mind, this chapter is a bit lackluster and I do very much apologize. But this will setup the finale for the Lullaby Arc before things pick up for our favorite heroes.**

 **I would also like to say thank you to all those who have read, reviewed, favorited, followed and/or viewed the story. The continued support brings me great joy and I'm also happy you guys are enjoying the story.**

 **With that in mind, time to address some things that came to my mind:**

 **1\. Bardock will not be teaching anyone how to use Ki. Bardock will still fight enemies from the Fairy Tail Series but he will mainly let the guild handle their own enemies as they see fit... mostly. And I still plan on having Bardock facing DBZ villains. That will not change at all since I pre-determined it when planning the story.**

 **2\. I do have ideas for giving Bardock contacts within both the Magic Council and the Rune Knights. He will be a member of Fairy Tail the whole time but he will do his best to think outside of the box and gather any information sources outside of the Request Board, Makarov or anyone in the guild.**

 **3\. You will definitely see Bardock show off more of his arsenal come the Phantom Lord Arc. I think you guys will enjoy it.**

 **There! All done!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

 **Now then... back to the story.**

* * *

 **The Next Day**

 **Train Station**

This is going to be a day marked in the books of Fairy Tail's storied history. Its strongest mages from this generation were going to team up on a quest of the utmost importance that could possibly be life or death.

Natsu Dragneel, The Fire Dragon Slayer.

Gray Fullbuster, The Ice Make Wizard.

Erza Scarlett, Requip Mage and Makarov's second in command (assumingly).

Lucy Heartfillia, The Celestial Spirit Wizard.

Happy, Natsu's furry partner and the team's mascot.

This is going to be the first of many adventures for these young group of heroes.

"Natsu stop it!"

And to start, they were going through a typical argument that close family and friends have… or at least by Fairy Tail standards.

"He started it! I'm finishing it!"

When Lucy arrived at the train station, Happy was the first one to greet her. Although he loved giving her a hard time, she grew fond of Natsu's best friend. Speaking of which…

"What's the matter dung for brains? Can't handle a little joke? You make me sick!"

Natsu and Gray were hurling insults and ready to brawl in the station. Not wanting to let the idiots get out of hand and make a scene, Lucy put herself between Natsu and Gray.

"Natsu!"

The Fire mage stopped and looked down to see an uncharacteristic glare come from the eyes of his partner of about a week or so. His looks softened a bit before he spoke.

"Oh hey Lucy. What are you doing here?" Natsu inquired feigning curiosity.

Lucy kept up her glare. Natsu wouldn't say it out loud, but Lucy was cute when she was angry or even pretended to be. What baffled him was why he thought she was cute in the first place?

"Give us a minute will you? Go cool off or something." Lucy suggested as she glanced over at Gray.

Mumbling something under his breath, the raven haired teen took his leave and walked over to a nearby bench to grab a seat. Now that the distraction was out of the way, Lucy turned her attention back to Natsu. She jutted her hip out and crossed her arms, still glaring heavily at the pink haired boy before her. Natsu responded by placing his hands behind his head and looking away.

"Now then, I was sent here by Mira to keep whatever this is from falling apart." Lucy explained.

"I know." Natsu replied.

Lucy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You did? But how?"

"My senses remember? Not just my sense of smell but my sense of hearing too. I got other senses I use too obviously but you get the idea."

Lucy sighed at this. Damn Dragon Hearing.

"Even so, I'm a little bit nervous." Lucy admitted.

Natsu turned his eyes back on his blonde partner and noticed her features had softened. She had since uncrossed her arms and had her hands behind her back, fidgeting a little. Of course she was nervous! And what would he do to solve that?

"Hey Lucy?"

"Hm?"

Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a toothy grin, so like him to do right?

"I appreciate this really." Natsu said.

All his partner could do was blush slightly and look at him wide eyed.

"You're still new and all but Happy and I really appreciate having you with us. Plus you're a lot stronger than you realize, so don't doubt yourself kay?"

Lucy's lips formed a wide smile and she nodded her head.

"Thanks Natsu. That means a lot coming from you." Lucy replied.

He placed his hands behind his head in a carefree manner, a welcome change from him ready to strangle Gray half to death.

"Only calling it like I see it Lucy." Natsu said cooly.

 _("Let's see if I can mess with him a little.")_

"You know Natsu…" Lucy trailed off, a finger on her chin as she looked up in thought.

"Hm?"

"Maybe you want me around because you still need a blonde." Lucy said with a teasing smile.

Natsu blinked twice before crossing his arms and shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh please, you already know how I feel about that." Natsu replied with a smirk.

Then there was this playful tension between the two. In a short amount of time they had become entangled in each other's lives… and hearts. Before long these two were going to cross the line of being more than friends. After all what is a princess without her dragon? But there's plenty of time before the dense idiot realizes it… or Mashima quits trollin us at some point.

"How do you feel about that?" Lucy pressed while biting her bottom lip.

"If we're talking about you, then I guess you're going to have to find out." Natsu said as leaned down.

"Challenge accepted. You're on Natsu." Lucy purred almost seductively.

Natsu had slightly hooded eyes as his gaze met Lucy's. They were so mesmerized by each other that they barely noticed their friends. Gray quirked an eyebrow in suspicion at his guild members behavior.

 _("What's going on with those two… they sure are acting weird.")_

Happy was thinking the same thing as Gray was, it was unusual for Natsu to be this way. He was just ready to tease them both until he spotted a familiar girl with scarlet girl.

"Hey you guys!"

Natsu and Lucy broke their impromptu staring contest, looking to where Happy had pointed.

Here came Erza, with luggage in tow. Wait a minute…

"Um does she really need that much?" Lucy asked, pointing to all the luggage Erza had brought with her.

Natsu simply shrugged his shoulders uncaringly. Gray got up from his seat and kept glaring daggers at his rival.

"Glad to see you three made it." Erza commented.

The Requip mage then turned to Lucy.

"Oh that's right! My name is Lucy, it's very nice to meet you." Lucy greeted with a smile and slight bow.

"Ah, so you're the girl who Natsu chose as a partner. Congratulations on the success of your first job." Erza complimented.

Lucy beamed a bright smile while her pink haired partner rolled his eyes with a smile.

"My name is Erza and it is great that we can have a proper meeting between us." Erza greeted warmly.

"Mira sent her to come with us and help us out. That and I think she wants to up her sense of adventure." Natsu said, joking on the last bit.

Lucy playfully elbowed him and Natsu rubbed his side with a goofy grin.

 _("This is interesting.")_ Erza thought with a smile.

"Now that we are gathered, the train will be arriving soon. This journey will be a dangerous one so be prepared for anything." Erza stated seriously.

Natsu, Gray and Happy weren't fazed by this bit of news while Lucy on the other hand was slightly panicking.

"Before we go, I need you to promise me something Erza."

Lucy, Happy and Gray looked at Natsu curiously.

"Yes?"

Natsu took a deep breath before releasing it. He looked Erza dead in her eyes, just like he did all the other times. He was hoping this time would be different.

"When we get back… you and me. One on one. And I'm telling you I will win." Natsu said with determination in his eyes.

Lucy was freaking out while Happy shook his head slightly amused.

"You idiot! Do you have a death wish or something?! Please ignore him Erza! He's just-" Gray was cut off, trying not to let his favorite brawl buddy get dead.

"I accept your challenge." Erza replied coolly.

Lucy and Gray looked at Erza as if she had two heads.

"Eh?" Lucy replied nervously.

"Say what?!" Gray said in a panic.

"You have indeed grown quite strong Natsu. I would like to test that growth and see where you stand. That and I would like to improve my own skill as well. So you have my word that when we return, we will fight." Erza said with a smile.

That's all he needed to hear.

"That's what I want to hear! I'm all fired up now!" Natsu exclaimed, flames bursting all over his body.

"Happy, shouldn't we stop him?" Lucy deadpanned.

"Nope." Happy replied.

* * *

 **Sometime Later**

 **Train**

"Oh… make… it… stop!" Natsu whined.

Lucy was frowning at her partner's obvious misery. He really didn't like moving vehicles at all.

"Poor guy…" Lucy said sadly.

Gray of course was getting a slight kick out of seeing his rival in sheer misery. Lucy caught on to this and stopped his demeaning of her partner.

"Ow! What the hell you kick me for?!"

Lucy gave the meanest glare she could at Gray who uncharacteristically backed off. Of course he mumbled something under his breath but he got the message loud and clear.

"I think I may have a solution. Could you switch seats with Natsu please?" Erza asked.

Lucy didn't think much of it so she helped Natsu into his seat next to Erza while she sat next to Gray.

The trio of Gray, Lucy and Happy sat across from the pink haired teen and the beautiful redhead, curious as to what she was going to do to help him.

Erza sported this loving smile as the sickly Natsu groaned next to her. Her love and comfort was then exchanged for some pain. A punch to Natsu's gut took him out completely. Satisfied with her work, Erza then stroked Natsu's head like a caring sister or mother figure.

The others of course were paled in fear at the display, hoping to stay on Erza's good side for however long this trip lasted.

"Rest assured, Natsu will be feeling like himself in no time." Erza assured the group.

"Right… so anyways, what kind of magic do you guys use?" Lucy asked breaking the bit of tension.

Erza let out a low chuckle at this while Gray crossed his arms and looked out the window.

"Happy, would you like to explain our abilities to her?"

Happy nodded his head and stood up.

"Erza's magic makes the bad guys see red!"

Lucy sweat dropped at this.

"And Gray can use Ice magic! He makes all kinds of sculptures and stuff!"

Lucy changed her expression and then looked over at the said mage. Gray sighed before putting his fist in his palm and summoning an ice sculpture.

"Wow! That's so cool, no pun intended." Lucy complimented

"Whatever you say." Gray replied uncaringly.

"Now I see why you two don't get along. Fire and Ice, get it?" Lucy teased.

"Oh screw you for even thinking that." Gray said irritated.

Lucy shook her head amusedly.

"Again I do want to thank all of you for coming along. As you know, this mission we are about to embark on is dangerous but for us failure is not an option." Erza began.

"Speaking of, why did you need us in the first place? If it's so important you probably could have handled it yourself given how strong you are and all." Gray commented.

"On my way back from a job that I took, I stopped at a local pub where wizards gather in Onibas. That's where I heard about it."

The trio listened intently, urging Erza to continue.

"A small group of wizards from the dark guild Eisenwald were discussing locating an object or artifact of some kind. Being they were subordinates, they were foolish enough to talk about it in the open."

"So they're looking for something old and it has something to do with magic?" Gray chimed in.

"Not just anything. Have either of you heard of something called 'Lullaby' by any chance?"

Gray and Lucy shook their heads.

"I see."

Lucy leaned forward.

"Is this some type of sleep magic? What could Eisenwald need with something like that?" Lucy wondered aloud.

"If that were the case, I wouldn't have thought much of it. However, two things they mentioned caught my attention. The first thing being that the item in question has a seal, meaning it's very powerful." Erza explained.

"And the second?" Gray asked.

"The name of their leader: Erigor, Ace of Eisenwald. He's earned the title of Death God given his track record."

 _("Death God?!")_ Lucy thought fearfully.

"So he's an assassin right? I heard stories about that guild once, didn't think much of it though." Gray commented.

 **Onibas Station**

The train stopped at the station in Onibas. The group got off and continued their conversation.

"Eisenwald was once a legal guild but before long started to stray away from the path we wizard guilds follow. They started to take assassination missions, even though the Council forbade it." Erza explained as she walked.

"So if that was the case, wouldn't they be disbanded?" Lucy asked.

"You're right Lucy, they would have been. It was around six years ago that their master was arrested and an order for disbandment was made. Unfortunately they didn't follow the order and decided money was better than following the rules."

Lucy sweat dropped worriedly. Gray kept his cool though, he wasn't afraid of whoever these Eisenwald guys were. He could take them on and he wasn't alone.

"So what's the plan Erza?" Gray asked.

"Simple really…" Erza trailed off before turning to her team.

"We go to Eisenwald and we stop there scheme. Then we take the prisoners to the council and reveal their dastardly plot."

Gray smiled at this. Oh yeah he was in on this plan for sure.

"This is gonna be fun." Gray stated darkly.

Lucy and Happy continued to follow until something hit them. They looked around and then at each other before screaming in a panic.

"Hm?" Erza wondered.

"What's up? You two alright?" Gray asked.

Happy used his Aera and pointed towards an empty space between him and Lucy, a sense of urgency painted on his face.

"You guys he's gone!" Happy exclaimed.

"Natsu isn't here which means…" Lucy dreaded

Gray was sweating profusely.

"Oh crap…" Gray uttered.

Erza simply formed a frightful frown and started to sweat bullets.

 _("You know if Bardock was here… this wouldn't have happened. Hang in there buddy we're coming!")_ Happy screamed in his head.

 _("Natsu hang in there!")_ Lucy thought.

* * *

 **Magnolia**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

Bardock has completed another training session and has come to the guild hall to check in. He notices that the power he sensed yesterday wasn't there today and had exited town. He also noticed the guild was lacking in activity given a certain 'kid' wasn't brawling with the stripping enthusiast.

Dressed in his battle uniform, the Saiyan Rebel headed over to the bar and set his bag on the floor before taking a seat.

"Hello Bardock! How is your training going?"

Bardock looked over to see Mira heading his way with water and a light ale. He was never much of a drinker but he still needed something to take the edge off occasionally.

"Progress is being made. That's all there is to say Mira." Bardock replied with a grin.

"Oh come now! You can give me details you know?" Mira playfully chided.

Bardock chuckled at this and took a sip of his ale first.

"Next time." Was his response.

Mira shook her head but smiled away regardless.

"Hey Bardock!"

The man shifted his eyes to see Levy was walking over… and without her bodyguards around.

"Hey." Bardock calmly greeted.

Levy greeted her friend with a smile and some conversation.

"We haven't seen you in a while. What have you been up to?" Levy asked.

Bardock's smile dropped as he finished his ale. He then stood up and crossed his arms facing Levy.

"Been training in the outskirts. I hunt when I need to and come here when I need to, it works for me." Bardock said.

Mira had come back while behind the bar and joined in on the conversation.

"Speaking of, are you ready for a job?" Mira asked.

Bardock sighed at this. At some point he had to stop putting this off.

"Maybe. I need to know something though."

Levy and Mira looked at him with looks of curiosity.

"Sure what is it?" Mira asked.

"I sensed a strong power come through here yesterday. Sensed it again today and then it left. Would it by some chance have anything to do with those kids being gone?"

"Oh that's right! Erza was here yesterday!" Cana yelled, still a bit tipsy.

The group of people conversing at the bar looked over at her before Bardock looked down at Levy.

"Who's Erza?" He asked.

Levy and Mira shared a glance.

"She's one of our Guild's strongest members." Levy stated.

"And she took Natsu, Lucy, Happy and Gray along for a big mission!" Mira chimed in excitedly.

Bardock looked at her with a raised eyebrow while Levy giggled.

"Something big must be going down for this Erza to drag those four along." Bardock stated.

"That's what everyone thought. She wanted to tell the master but he's at a league meeting." Levy said.

Suddenly the wheels in Bardock's head began to turn. A mission proposed by one of the strongest in the guild? Check. Four members of the guild going with her for support? Check. Mission Details that needed to be discussed with the Master and no one else? Yeah, that's a negative. This impromptu mission involving one of Fairy Tail's best made him curious.

Bardock grabbed his bag and walked behind the bar to set it down. He walked from behind the bar and stretched a little.

"Mira, do you know where they went? I'm thinking of tagging along." Bardock said seriously before finishing his routine.

"Why yes! They took a train to Onibas station. It shouldn't be too far." Mira stated.

Bardock nodded his head and started to walk towards the doors. He looked over his shoulder to where Mira and Levy were.

"Keep my bag safe, I'm heading out."

Bardock then took off running, deciding not to fly unless he needed to. He had been given a map and memorized it pretty well to an extent. His plan was simple, run for a bit before flying to where his new friends were to help out if necessary. After all, his mere presence alone was pure overkill but he still wanted to find strong warriors in a new world.

Mira continued polishing glasses and mugs while Levy stood in front of her.

"Should we be worried about them at all?" Levy said with concern.

"Nope. If anything, Bardock will make sure they're okay."

Levy smiled and looked at her friend who was continuing with her task.

"Don't you mean Erza?"

"Her too but I have a feeling Bardock will take lead on this one." Mira replied.

Levy hummed in agreement before leaving to rejoin Jet and Droy.

Mira hummed a tune as she couldn't help but feel more excited than she was yesterday.

 _("Fairy Tail's strongest team just got an upgrade. Good Luck Bardock!")_ Mira cheered in her head as she giggled.

* * *

 **Train**

 _("Lucy… Happy… please…")_

"Get me off this thing before I die!" Natsu whined

Natsu was awake but he was miserable. Not only had his teammates forgot about him, he was stuck on something he considered a death trap… a moving vehicle.

He would tease Lucy a bit about this later but he wasn't going to hold it against her long. Happy was one of his closest friends if not the closest, he'd forgive and forget rather quickly with him. Erza of course would be relieved to see Natsu in one piece and he would be satisfied not offending her in any way. As for Gray… he owed the teen a beating once the mission was over… along with several other beatings because he felt like it.

"Is this seat taken friend?"

Natsu barely peaked up when he caught the scent of some guy. He also sensed magic energy radiating off of him, which made him put his guard up slightly.

"Lovely day I say."

This young stranger handed Natsu a barf bag hoping he would accept. He was being genuine so far.

"Train rides for me are pretty relaxing. But I gotta say friend, you don't seem to be enjoying it much."

Natsu managed a low chuckle.

"Something like that." Natsu replied weakly.

His new train buddy let out a friendly chuckle. Said train buddy then glanced over at Natsu's right arm, spotting his guild mark.

"So you're a part of a guild huh? Fairy Tail I hear is pretty amazing."

Natsu still slumped in his seat, just listening while keeping his guard up.

"Got all kinds of pretty girls around you right? Especially that Mirajane chick, she's fine like a write up from the geezers on the Council. Know what I mean?"

 _("Okay something about this dude is bugging me.")_ Natsu thought on edge.

"It's a shame for me though. Me and my buddies don't get many girls coming to our guild. I envy you man, I really do."

 _("Wait… he's a part of a guild?")_ Natsu thought in slight surprise.

"Oh well…"

All though his reflexes were not at their best, Natsu caught the mage's foot, only a few inches away from his face.

"You got good reflexes… for a fly." Kageyama said sinisterly.

 _("He doesn't even know my reflexes are way better than this.")_ Natsu thought irritated.

"You're part… of a dark guild… aren't you?" Natsu inquired with his temper rising.

"That's right fly! I'm a member of Eisenwald and unfortunately for you it's time for me to clip your wings!"

"Not if I can help-"

After standing up for a few seconds with his flames dancing, a sudden jolt brought Natsu back down to size. The poor boy's motion sickness was going to be the death of him and Kageyama took full advantage.

After falling on all fours, Kageyama hit the fire user with multiple shadow attacks. Natsu tried his best to guard while not letting his weakness betray him but the shadow user of the dark guild was relentless. After around 30 to 45 seconds had passed since Kageyama's attempted sneak attack the train had stopped.

"Sweet! I'm back on my feet!" Natsu exclaimed with an excited fist pump.

The young dragon slayer set his sights on the shadow user who had given him an inglorious beat down and it was time for Natsu to return the favor.

"You're mine now you lanky bastard!" Natsu snarled.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"**

A fiery fist to the face knocked the shadow mage to the floor with a bloodied lip and hurt pride. As he was getting up wooden object that was recognized to be a flute fell out of his pocket.

"Huh?"

 _("Is that a flute? That's pretty weird.")_ Natsu thought in slight confusion.

"Dammit… You saw…"

Natsu got serious and returned to a fighting stance only to be interrupted by an announcement that the train would be moving again soon. All color immediately drained from his face and he went for his pack all the while muttering…

"crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap…"

Kageyama wiped his lip with his arm as Natsu flipped him off before jumping out of the now moving train and directly in the path of a magic mobile.

"Erza!" Natsu exclaimed in surprised.

"Natsu!" Erza exclaimed also surprised.

"What the-Gah!"

Unfortunately it was a bad time for Gray to be directly in Natsu's path as their heads collided with each other which resulted in a hilarious showing of them tumbling behind the magic mobile. Erza then harshly stopped the car before getting out alongside Lucy and Happy.

"What did they put in that head of yours?! Freaking rocks?!" Gray yelled while rubbing his head.

"Oi! What you say to me freezer bum?!" Natsu retorted.

"Nastu!"

The pink haired teen turned his head to see blur of silver and red before Erza tackled him hard and brings him in for her typical bear hugs.

"We were so worried about you! Forgive us for leaving you behind!"

"Can't… breathe…" Natsu choked out while turning blue.

Natsu managed to separate himself and gulp air into his lungs while Erza had an apologetic smile adorn her face. Gray dusted himself off as Lucy and Happy rejoined the group.

"Just a question, were you fighting someone just now Natsu?" Lucy prompted.

"Oh yeah! While you guys left me on the train I ran into some lanky son of a bitch. That wasn't the weird part though." He replied.

"Oh really?" Gray drawled out sarcastically.

"Yeah. Get this, guy said he was in a dark guild and he had a weird looking flute with him."

"Which dark guild was he from?" Happy chimed in.

"Eisenrod? No that's not it. Wisenhad! No that can't be right. Eisenvog!"

Gray, Lucy and Happy realized who Natsu was talking about which surprised them greatly and made each of them wonder what the enemy was doing on the train. Those thoughts however ceased as they turned to see Erza whose dark aura swirled around her as she slowly took her greave off of one hand. Happy merely stood with the same smile, Lucy gulped before cowering away and Gray slowly took a few steps back while sweating profusely.

"Oh shit…" Gray muttered nervously.

As Natsu was in the middle of his rambling, Erza stood in front the young man, who was completely oblivious to the fact he had brought on her wrath.

"I got it! It was Eisen-"

Before he could another word out, Natsu was more or less pimp slapped by Erza with her bare hand before slipping the glove back on and glaring daggers at her good friend. While doing so, the dragon slayer was tenderly nursing his cheek which had a visible hand print and pouting at the thought he believed he did no wrong.

"You idiot! That man was a member of Eisenwald! Weren't you listening to anything I said?!" Erza scolded with a dark aura.

"But I was knocked out though…" Natsu whined.

"Three skulls… on a flute… that could only mean…"

"Lucy?" Natsu asked with a raised eyebrow while still nursing his bruised cheek.

"Guys! I might know what Lullaby is!" the blonde girl exclaimed with slight fear.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

 **Onibus Station**

Bardock didn't get tired from running. Not at all. However, he familiarized himself with the map he had 'borrowed' from the guild library when he raided the guild hall for supplies. He would pay the master back once he got he got the chance to do a job on his own. But back to the matter at hand…

In order for Bardock to get acquainted with places of interest within the Kingdom's borders he decided to fly to various places and scout the areas out for potential opponents. It bored him rather quickly when he felt no one had the power to even give him a proper warm up. Bardock had virtually cheated death and winded up in a land full of weaklings… no offense to his new comrades of course.

As of now Bardock was walking through Onibus station out of curiosity. There was a mixture of law enforcement, train staff and ordinary civilians within the crowd. This was highly suspicious to Bardock.

 _("Something's up…")_ he thought as he proceeded.

Weaving his way through the crowd, Bardock spotted what appeared to be Rune Knights crowded around the representative for the staff. Due to the heightened senses of a Saiyan warrior, the Rebel was able to listen in on what the conversation was.

"You're saying she had red hair and bore the mark of Fairy Tail?" the commanding officer or knight inquired.

"That's right. She was with a cat, a young blonde girl and there was also a dark haired boy with them. I believe they were all a part of that guild." The train staff member answered.

Bardock narrowed his eyes and took a moment to digest what he just heard. Those pesky kids were up to no good again and on top of that this Erza person was involved. So even the strongest can catch a little hell wherever they went hm?

Bardock was brought out of his thoughts when he picked up one of the soldiers moving in to his superior.

"Sir. We have confirmation that the train has indeed been taken over by a dark guild. But we do not know which dark guild it may be." The subordinate reported.

Murmurs amongst the crowd made the atmosphere even tenser than before. First his fellow guild mates get involved now apparently a dark guild has stolen a train. Oddly enough it reminded Bardock of a mission he and Tora did back in the day when they faked their capture inside of a militia base. To this day he doesn't know how they got out of that one.

With enough information, Bardock decided to search for a nearby train map within the station. Once he found it his eyes traced the tracks from Onibus to two likely locations: Kunugi and Oshibana.

Without hesitation Bardock took off out of the station. He found a secluded spot in a nearby alleyway before taking off for the skies. The plan was simple, search the first station in Kunugi before proceeding to Oshibana. With his luck he may find a challenge… and the hell raising people he called guild mates.

* * *

 **Oshibana Station**

Fairy Tail's strongest team (who for some reason also goes by Team Natsu) had spent a good portion of their time racing to the station in a magic mobile Erza had borrowed earlier. Over the course of the trip, Lucy was able to brief the group on what limited knowledge she was able to learn about Lullaby. Anyone who heard the tune played from the flute would die within seconds. Erza scolded herself for not doing enough research before embarking upon a dangerous mission.

Another problem that presented itself to the team was Erza's magic supply. Due to the circumstances of what they were up against, Erza insisted that she use the magic mobile and boost it to top speed in order to reach their destination before it was too late.

Now, the team had reached Oshibana Station with Erza having used up a decent amount of her power and Natsu still suffering from motion sickness. If Erza wasn't a bat out of hell driving the magic mobile, Lucy would have been able to at least comfort Natsu somewhat which made Natsu feel even worse because he wasn't getting the necessary TLC.

"Whoa check out the crowd…" Natsu uttered weakly.

"Yeah, I wonder what's going on." Lucy replied in curiosity.

"Aye." Happy said with a straight face.

"Um guys…"

The trio turned to where Gray was pointing and found Erza was on a tear trying to gather information. First staff member backed talked her and was promptly knocked out with a quick head-butt. Second staff member didn't even form a few words and was also knocked out. Then a third… and a fourth… apparently this was a trend so Erza kept on going.

"Shouldn't we…?" Lucy began hesitantly with a sweat drop.

"Nope." The three males responded.

Just as their response came, Erza had knocked out 15 staff members of the station while the crowd watched in awe and slight nervousness… that and they really didn't understand what just happened. The knight made her way to the group and pointed her thumb at the station.

"The last one told me that members of Eisenwald were in the station. We must hurry." Erza said before turning heel and walking away.

The others minus Happy sweat dropped at this and followed Erza through the station. On their way to the platform, they found themselves in a wide stairway that was filled with injured soldiers. Some were getting off lucky with a few broken bones and some cuts while the others were hanging onto their lives by a thread. It was a grisly scene to say the least.

"No way! They were totally wiped out!" Happy exclaimed fearfully.

"They were an army against an entire dark guild. Unfortunately this was to be expected." Erza said with a grim tone.

"Dammit…" Natsu muttered somewhat weakly.

Lucy was still helping Natsu who was able to walk but not much else. And if Eisenwald was in the station, she and the rest of the team were going to need him at full strength. Speak of the devil or devils in this case, the team had arrived to their destination and found out just how many Eisenwald mages had taken over the station… roughly over 100 dark mages, plus Erigor and his best cronies.

"Look it's the Fairy Flies!" a random dark mage said with a sneer.

All his fellow dark guild bretheren snickered at his words. Dark Guilds always thought of themselves as superior to actual guilds so this was to be expected. Nevertheless their arrogance would be their downfall.

"Alright then. Where is the one called Erigor?!" Erza demanded as she took a step forward.

"You lookin for me?"

Floating from behind a nearby pillar was the proclaimed, infamous "Death God" Erigor, Eisenwald's Ace Mage and a well-known assassin across the kingdom. Erigor had spikey silver hair, tattoos on his eyes, torso and shoulders. He wears a tattered hakama with a cloth and sash wrapped around his waist and a black scarf. His weapon of choice? A scythe.

 _("Is that wind magic?!")_ the team thought collectively.

"Ah so the flies have come for their demise."

"You! You're the one that got me in trouble with Erigor!" Kageyama exclaimed pointing at Natsu.

Lucy felt the weight she was carrying lighten up as Natsu shrugged off the last bit of his motion sickness. He then took a few steps and positioned himself in front of Lucy before bringing his fist into his palm and cracking his knuckles. The Dragon Slayer had his eyes dead-set on the shadow user he met on the train.

"And you're that pineapple head, lanky son of a whore." Natsu said with a feral grin.

"Grrr…" Kageyama growled through clinched teeth.

"What do you plan on doing with Lullaby?!" Erza demanded.

"Isn't it obvious? You've probably figured out what this baby can do. So tell me little fly, what do you think?" Erigor asked with outstretched arms.

Natsu, Gray and Lucy kept a defensive posture while Erza's eyes darted across all parts of the station looking for clues. When the redhead knight spotted speakers the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She clinched her fists as rage and disgust coursed through her.

"Look around you and you'll see."

"The station… you plan on broadcasting the death song!" Erza yelled.

"Correct you are little fly." Erigor taunted with an arrogant smile.

"You fiend…!"

Suddenly a small blast erupted from the ceiling dropping bits and pieces of debris that landed between the groups. Out of the hole came a shadowy figure who floated down, gracefully landing on his feet.

This figure bore unkempt spiky hair, a red bandana, battle armor… and a scowl that would send an entire army running for the hills.

His back was turned to the group of youngsters he recently got to call comrades but he was easily recognized by three of them.

"Bardock!" Natsu, Lucy and Happy exclaimed in unison.

Oh yeah… the Rebel Saiyan just arrived on the scene. And he was itching for a fight.

"Looks like I made it just in time." Bardock said with a dark smile.

Eisenwald was in for a rude awakening… courtesy of Fairy Tail's newest member.

* * *

 **A/N: Another chapter down.**

 **The next chapter you will see Bardock and Team Natsu conclude their fight against Eisenwald. And yes, Bardock will face Lullaby... alone.**

 **Following that chapter will be the brief interlude consisting of 2 chapters that lead into a shortened Galuna Island Arc. And after that... We see Bardock go Drill Sergeant on Team Natsu, go on his first job and finally delve into the 'Guild War' against Phantom Lord.**

 **Now that combined will take some time to complete and my updates may be slower as a result. That and school is a pain in the you know what.**

 **Anyways, I am also going to need opinions on pairings even though they won't be the main focus in the story. I will include implied mentions of dating, relationships and so forth but this story is more than just romance even though I added it as a category. You guys already know that NaLu is a given, seeing I added the subtle/not so subtle attempt of them flirting. Gruvia is also a given as well as GaLe and Jerza. Truth be told, some fans of the series hate Erza being paired with a man who was brain washed, tried to kill her plus sacrifice her but not only that, lived his life just fine for seven years without her. However, I just don't see her being with anyone else. Natsu or Gray maybe but they have more of a sibling thing due to Natsu being dense and Gray getting stalked by Juvia before he accepted her feelings (the relief of getting a confirmation on a ship).**

 **Enough about pairings... Last topic! Soundtrack!**

 **One of my projects is soundtrack heavy, featuring songs or musical scores from various games and artists. This story is soundtrack light but you will get a few songs here and there as a tribute to the OVA/Movies from the DBZ series. After all, I already used one song in the prologue and I'm surprised hardcore fans haven't recognized it!**

 **With that in mind, I'll be working hard to get the last chapter of this story arc done before pressing forward.**

 **See ya later!**


	9. Dark Mages and Demon Flutes

**A/N: I'm back y'all!**

 **School's been a bit of a pain but I'm still here. I didn't forget about you guys I promise. Especially when this story is still gaining support. You guys rock!**

 **Now then, before we jump into the story, I would like to address some things.**

 **Smut, Lemons and Limes: Now this story is rated T for language and violence. Given that, any future stories from me that are rated M? They will be fair game for Sexual content and higher, graphic levels of violence. That's right y'all, expect hot and heavy scenes from some of your favorite characters in the future. But not in this story though. As a consolation there will be some fluff and some soft and tender moments. Also, don't expect Dragon Slayer Mating themes. That will be in my other project and I already have the mate marks worked out. There will be mentions of sex but none will be shown.**

 **Future Projects: My Fairy Tail story is still a work in progress. The entire Prologue is nearly done and I've almost completed the first three official chapters. But with what I have planned and the fact Mashima is dropping Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest, the project will be an ongoing story for the foreseeable future once it is published. I also have a crossover between Saint Seiya and High School DXD in the works as well. It's nowhere near as ambitious with my Fairy Tail project or this story but I'm hoping it will still come out the way I want it to. Even if that story is left unfinished, it would still serve as a good re-read.**

 **Marvel's Spider-Man: I've played the game but I haven't finished it yet. So far it's a lot of fun and definitely feeds into the legend that is Spider-Man. Favorite suit is a tie between the Stark Suit (Civil War/ Homecoming) and the Iron Spider (Infinity War). Solid 9/10.**

 **Grievances about killing certain characters: There are honestly some characters I refuse to kill. I don't have a definitive list but I know which characters I wouldn't dare off in a story. Although I like a lot of stories out there, I do get a little miffed about the fact fellow authors kill off certain characters. It's just how I feel even though I still enjoy the stories other authors present. Creative differences and such am I right?**

 **Halo and Mass Effect crossover project: Ever wonder what would happen if all of Noble Team got sent into the Mass Effect Universe? Well guess what guys, I already have a story planned out and in the works too. Not only will Noble Team be seeing the Mass Effect Universe but they will be crossing over with other series and franchises as well.**

 **My ranting is now over, let's get back into the story.**

 **Reminded by Drowning Pool**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Clover Town**

Ah Clover Town…

Home of the Regional Guild Master's headquarters…

Here Masters of Legal Guilds meet to discuss matters… or in this case like every other shoot the breeze and discuss how hot some of Fairy Tail's women are. Originally it was mostly the trio of Erza, Mira and Cana that came up. With Lucy being a new member… the results were rather predictable.

Goldmine of Quatro Cerberus and the ever so eccentric Bob of Blue Pegasus were talking about the lovely Lucy and how the Magic Council could one day drop the hammer on Fairy Tail for their recklessness. All fun and games ended when a messenger bird brought Makarov a message.

"It seems I have a message. I wonder from who?" Makarov wondered aloud.

Fairy Tail's ever so wise and perverted Third Master opened the envelope to see a magical image of Mira appear. And on cue three things occurred which was a somewhat comedic series of events.

First, Mira thanked Makarov for all the hard work he's been putting in and keeping to his duties by attending the regional meeting.

Second, Makarov started bragging about his guild's 'Poster Girl' and how incredibly hot she was. While somewhere deep in his heart and subconscious he could play to her matchmaking tendencies and pair her with his brash grandson to make wonderful great grandchildren with in hopes of continuing the line of Dreyar. Noble but a bit weird.

Lastly… well take a listen.

" _Oh and I have the most wonderful news Master!"_ Mira exclaimed happily while outstretching her arms.

"Oh?"

" _Erza has a formed a team with Natsu, Lucy, Happy and Gray! They went on a very special mission! Isn't it wonderful?"_ Mira stated while doing a twirl.

"…"

"…"

" _And even better Bardock decided to join! Now no one can stop them!"_ Mira exclaimed with a cheer.

"…"

" _Take good care master. Buh-Bye~!"_ Mira said while she waved.

At this point all color drained from the poor man's face. Undoubtedly the strongest members of his guild were now on a mission together. And if they did any amount of damage… the bills and complaints he would receive…

His thoughts clearly overwhelmed his mind as he fell onto his back and had spasms as if he were a dead roach.

"Damn out like a light." Goldmine stated while rubbing his chin.

"Oh dear~! Seems poor Maki fainted from the stress. It will be a long time before wakes again~!" Bob commented with a smile

If one could see clearly, the very ghost of Makarov exited through his mustached maw.

* * *

 **Oshibana Station**

Oh the fight was definitely on now. The Saiyan Rebel just arrived to back up Fairy Tail's strongest team. And he definitely did it in style. Bardock turned around and walked towards Fairy Tail's strongest team before stopping a few feet in front of them and crossing his arms.

"So… who wants to bring me up to speed?" The warrior prompted the group.

"I would but I'm not good on details." Natsu said with a sheepish smile and a shrug.

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" Gray questioned.

"Short. Because it looks like your new friends are eager to play." Bardock replied as he motioned to the people behind him.

"They're a dark guild!" Happy exclaimed pointing at the gathering of dark mages.

"Dark guild eh?" Bardock questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah and they want to use this thing called Lullaby to kill innocent people!" Lucy told him.

"And we're gonna stop em! Right guys?" Natsu said bringing his fist into his palm.

 _("Kid's confident and for good reason. The scum behind me wouldn't last long if they fought us head on.")_ Bardock thought with a swelling of pride in his being.

"Excuse me."

"Hm?"

Bardock's eyes shifted to see a buxom, armor clad redhead. Feeling out her power a bit, he realized two things. One, this wasn't her full power because if it were she would surpass each member of her team. And two… she was clearly in a different league than Natsu or the other kid with a stripping habit.

Honestly, Bardock had come to the conclusion Gray's clothes disappeared via magic. This personal observation made Bardock think the boy was both brilliant and quite foolish all at the same time. But anyways…

 _("This must be Erza.")_

"Who are you?" Erza more or less demanded with an authoritative tone.

Bardock raised a brow out of amusement and surprise. The Saiyan Rebel never expected something like that to come from a teenager regardless of how strong they were. Her tone made him think back to the days when he was taking orders… and giving them.

He turned his back to her, making Natsu, Gray and Lucy nervous for what they perceived as blatant disrespect. All the while, Erza narrowed her eyes in suspicion until this new warrior lifted his left hand, exposing part of his very defined forearm. What she saw made her eyes widen in slight shock and surprise… it was Fairy Tail's emblem, just above Bardock's wrist.

"The name's Bardock. I joined with up the same time as Lucy." The warrior stated, scowling at the dark mages.

Bardock then dropped his arm to readjust his sleeve. Erza's worries weren't completely put at ease but she could worry about this man's background later. At the moment they had a battle to wage.

"And that's all you need to know." He finished, annoying the Knight slightly.

Personal feelings aside, Fairy Tail's strongest team returned their attention to the enemy. Apparently Eisenwald found the situation humorous and the snickering returned. As if on cue their leader spoke up…

"So another fly has come to back up his 'friends' huh? Pathetic." Erigor sneered with a malevolent grin.

Give Bardock some credit. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by this young punk in front him. After all… Bardock stood up to a being who could destroy a planet with the flick of his wrist. All this kid was doing was rebelling against authorities who, at worst would throw him in jail for several decades.

"I ain't no fly kid." Bardock stated with a feral grin.

Just as Erigor was about to make some pitiful attempt at a retort, Bardock's entired being flickered from existence, shocking everyone in the room. A second or so later, Bardock flickered back in and hit Erigor with a vicious right cross, sending him into a pillar… then came stunned silence.

On one side you had Eisenwald who… just failed to comprehend how this new player in the game arrived and hit Erigor with such power. How was he this fast? Can he fly? Are there limits to what he can and can't do?

On the other side Natsu with his partners Lucy and Happy were smiling in pride. Even with what little they knew about their still relatively new companion, they knew he could wipe the floor with everyone in Eisenwald. The only question now was would he hold back so they could have some fun.

As for Erza and Gray… they had a hard time trying to understand what just took place. First, one of their newest members of their guild makes a not so subtle entrance into a situation very few knew about. Second, any concern for said member vanished the moment he used his speed and strength to give Erigor the worst punch to the face he ever felt. And lastly… what was going to happen next since this wild card entered the mix?

 _("Teleportation magic? Wind magic? Speed magic maybe? I don't understand how he did what he just did but that was rather incredible…")_ Erza thought with wide eyes while in pure awe.

 _("What the hell… how did he do that?")_ Gray thought along similar lines to the redhead next to him.

It was then after Bardock landed that he turned around, feral grin still plastered on his roguish Saiyan features. His predatory gaze fell immediately on the Eisenwald mages, ignoring the reactions from what he just did with ease.

"Ok then. Which of you scum is next?" Bardock prompted the dark guild while cracking his knuckles.

The shock for Eisenwald then turned to outrage. All the dark mages started drawing weapons ranging from bean sized switchblades (believe me when I say blades come in all sizes… plus it represents the man using them… Gihee) to spiked bats (don't worry, there's a no nutshot rule with this weapon) and even polearms (they stole them from the soldiers back on the stairs). Not only that, some were even summoning their magic.

"You'll pay for hurting Erigor freak!" a brave but foolish member said.

And just like that Bardock flickered out of existence once again, grin still present on his face. He may be picking off small fry but he was going to at least enjoy himself. The Eisenwald members got nervous and some were even scared to the point of possibly messing themselves.

"What the?! Where'd he go?!"

"Here."

The foolish man holding a metal bat turned around just to be met by a fist to the face, sending him into the parked train. Bardock's grin dropped and he scowled as his eyes and senses got a good feel for the mages surrounding him.

"You damn insect! I have no time to be bothered by the likes of you! Kill them!" Erigor ordered in anger.

The supposed Death God then fled the scene, shattering glass on his way out.

"You swine!" Erza shouted in outrage.

"Coward!" Natsu yelled with a fiery fist.

"Um guys?" Lucy nervously interrupted.

When Lucy got their collective attention, Fairy Tail's strongest team was shocked once again. This time their reactions were directed to the one sided ass kicking Eisenwald was receiving. Hell, this would be an insult to all asses that were thoroughly beat in the history of one sided beat downs. And for the coup de grace, Bardock wasn't even breaking a single sweat.

It wasn't the time of his life but the Saiyan rebel enjoyed disposing of trash. A few dozen dark mages had encircled him but some were already sporting bruises, as Bardock was simply toying with them.

At some point, one man charged at his right with a sword, another charged at his left with a spiked bat (but really it could be a club or mace at this point) and from the front the insecure man with the tiny switchblade (remember Eisenwald doesn't have women in their guild and even if they did… no girl on Earth Land would ever be satisfied).

Bardock caught both weapons that were coming from the side before crushing them with his bare hands. Then he brought his fists in before punching both the mages flanking him and then performing a flip kick on the switchblade wielder. All three attackers knocked out within seconds. That's when the group around Bardock said fuck it… and went for a dogpile. Victory was assured until several lights emitted through cracks in where the bodies were.

"HA!"

With a loud shot, Bardock used his Ki as a shockwave attack, forcing bodies to fly everywhere. He had just annihilated around three dozen or so dark mages… and he wasn't even trying. There he was standing tall while broken, bruised and battered bodies surrounded him. Eisenwald should be grateful the Saiyan was feeling merciful because if not… they would be dead.

"Hmph. Pathetic." The man said while crossing his arms.

The roughly hundred or so remnants of Eisenwald were petrified. It seems these 'flies' were not to be underestimated… especially the man who proved their naming of him and his comrades wrong.

"Um Erza?" Natsu prompted with a dumbfounded look.

The Knight was stuck in a sort of daze. More questions about this newcomer swirled around her mind than answers. He was their comrade sure but something about his demeanor and how he just conducted himself these past few minutes made her a bit uneasy. She trusted all her comrades in Fairy Tail, hell Natsu and Gray were like her troublesome little brothers in most people's perspective. Even Lucy, a girl she just met could be trusted just by first impression alone. But him… Bardock… she would keep an eye on him.

"Erza!" Gray shouted, snapping the redhead out of her stupor.

Now was not the time to be distracted. As a leader and the best representative for Fairy Tail's prestigious reputation, she had to act or lives would be lost. So in typical fashion, she took control of the still volatile situation.

"Right. Natsu, Gray I need you two to track down Erigor and take him down. You're the only ones I trust on this task." She commanded as she drew her sword.

The two immediately butted heads due to their rivalry. That and deep down they hated taking orders. Lucy sweatdropped at this display while Happy watched without a care in the world.

"Did you hear me?!" Erza bellowed with a scary aura

At her command the two gave a quick 'aye' before taking off in the direction of a part of the station where the staff usually operated. Kageyama and Rayule, Erigor's top subordinates proceeded after the pair leaving everyone else in Eisenwald at the mercy of The Fairy Queen, The Celestial mage… and an unimpressed Saiyan Rebel. Oh let's not forget the trolling blue fur ball (no offence to Happy).

"It's just one fly! We can take him!"

"Yeah and two hot chicks!"

"Once we're done with him we can show those ladies how we roll~!"

Bardock's eyebrow twitched as Erza walked to his side. In the background behind them, Lucy was in her own world talking about how a pretty girl like herself shouldn't be used and abused by big scary men. During her little session of vanity, Happy was scolding her about daydreaming during a battle.

"There's so many." Erza commented.

Bardock simply grunted while his arms were still crossed.

"Here's the plan-"

"Just stay out of my way." Bardock interrupted before uncrossing his arms and shooting forward at a speed Erza could comprehend somewhat.

Erza growled somewhat in annoyance. Clearly this man was a seasoned warrior but his teamwork could use some adjustment. Immediately she requipped another sword and shot herself to the right.

Lucy for her part just stared in awe as her teammates were making short work of Eisenwald whether it be from Bardock's punches and kicks or Erza's hack and slash approach. It was after a minute of spectating, Lucy joined in by summoning her celestial spirit Cancer.

*Ding Dong*

"Alright Cancer! Show em what you can do!" Lucy cheered with passion and determination.

"You got it baby." Cancer cooly replied.

Bardock and Erza then landed in a circle of dark mages back to back. They both glanced to where Lucy was, anticipating what she or her spirit was going to do. What came next surprised and amused them at the same time.

Cancer first proceeded through a few dozen mages at blazing speed (but slow enough for Bardock to see) and gave them the cruelest haircuts imaginable. Lucy then finished it with a several cracks of her whip. When all was said and done, Lucy had held her own but she felt a bit fatigued.

 _("She lacks the necessary stamina for sustained combat. Plus I guess summoning those spirits drains her of magic.")_ Bardock observed as his sights returned to the fight in front of him.

Apparently the 100 plus members of Eisenwald were now whittled down to just above 40. They regrouped to form a semi-circle around the Fairy Tail members. Happy flew and Lucy along with Cancer ran to where their friends were.

"Well guys what do you think?" Lucy asked in an excited fashion.

Bardock simply leveled his harsh gaze on the survivors of Eisenwlad while Erza turned her body to the side to give Lucy a review of her performance.

"A unique but effective approach. The synergy between you and your spirit was commendable." Erza praised with a slight smirk.

"Awesome I just scored points with Erza!" Lucy beamed with a fist pump.

"However, I don't think it appropriate for him to call you baby. Just feels so… wrong." Erza said in a disapproving tone.

Lucy dropped to her knees while Cancer merely sweatdropped.

"Points unscored…" Lucy whined quietly.

 _("Like I said… a bunch of fruitcakes.")_ Bardock deadpanned in his head.

"Do you mind if I end things?" Erza asked as her eyes went to Bardock's face.

End things? If she wanted to beat the scum into submission by herself, by all means she could. Bardock wanted Erigor even though he wasn't much of a challenge either. The mere thought of the man titled 'Death God', made him sick to his stomach. He was an assassin with no real power against the Saiyan. This entire mission was easy. That along with his other thoughts made his decision clear…

"Be my guest. I was bored anyways." Bardock said with a smirk.

Erza simply nodded her head before stepping forward. Once she did, a light started to envelop and her clothes disappeared earning mixed reactions.

 _("Is that part of her magic…? Interesting…")_ Bardock thought with a raised eyebrow.

For their part, Eisenwald's leftovers were sporting nosebleeds, large blushes and gripping their weapons tighter than usual. Happy, on Fairy Tail's side of the battlefield chimed in to help explain Erza's magic to his baffled friends.

"You see Erza's Requip ability is special. Not only is she able to call upon weapons from her pocket dimension but different armors as well."

Bardock crossed his arms and soaked in the information. This Requip ability seemed handy. But pocket dimension? He was really going to have to step up his game to get more info about all the magic he was surrounded by. Lucy for her part developed a slight blush and stood in awe as she felt the power of Erza come off in waves. The celestial mage for a long time had been a fan of Fairy Tail and besides Mira, the other person she admired was Erza. When first meeting the Knight, Lucy kept it professional but now she was barely hanging onto the inner fangirl in her system.

"Her specialty in Requip allows her swords as well as her armors to give her enhanced fighting skills. All of us in Fairy Tail and everyone in the kingdom dub this technique 'The Knight'." Happy finished explaining with a wide smile.

 _("The ability to change weapons and armors on the fly? That and she gets a boost from whatever abilities they offer… Impressive.")_ Bardock thought while humming in approval.

When the light show was over, standing proud in all her glory was the Queen of the Fairies in her Heaven's Wheel armor.

There was plated armor covered her chest, with a large metal flower over it, and she wore a large billowing skirt that had metal plating in the upper area. Her stomach and neck were uncovered, and she had large metal wings that appear to be made of individual blades, as well as a wing-like headpiece. All in all it was alluring as well as fierce, the spitting image of a warrior with beauty to match her tenacity.

"Wow! She looks amazing!" Lucy beamed, practically fawning over Erza's extreme mid-battle makeover.

( _"Seriously?"_ ) Bardock thought irritably.

" **Circle Sword!"**

The Queen of the Fairies summoned dozens upon dozens of swords and if one could take the time to count them all it ranged in number of a hundred or so… meaning she's likely aiming for overkill if there's less than 50 left.

"Now… Dance my blades!"

Using telekinesis Erza hit every single target with speed and precision. In short it was a glorious but bloodless massacre. And the best part was it took under ten seconds.

Once it was all said and done, a survivor somehow ran into one of the corridors within the station and this didn't go unnoticed by the Fairy Tail members. Erza, still in Heaven's Wheel, turned to her companions.

"Lucy, Happy I need you two to find that man before finding Natsu and Gray." She ordered.

"Sure thing. What about you and Bardock?" Lucy responded.

"We'll be taking care of the civilians. We can't take any chances, especially with Erigor having possession of the flute." Erza explained.

"Right. Come on Happy!"

"Aye sir!"

Natsu's partners then sped off down the corridor and disappeared from view. The moment they left, Erza requipped into her usual armor but felt unsteady on her feet. In the midst of her swaying, the redhead felt a strong grip on her left arm. She turned, somewhat surprised to see Bardock standing there with his scowl slightly intimidating her… okay maybe even more than slightly but still.

"You good?" Bardock prompted.

She took a few breaths before standing upright again. Erza proceeded to wipe the sweat forming on her forehead using her slightly exposed forearm.

"Yes. It seems using the magic mobile took more out of me than I thought. I really should have listened to Gray." Erza responded with a small smile.

 _("I guess magic runs everything almost. This place would be easy pickings if it were invaded.")_ Bardock pondered.

The young knight then dropped her smile before getting serious again.

"We must hurry. Civilians are still in the crossfire even though Eisenwald is at its end." She said with strong determination.

The Saiyan merely grunted in agreement. The duo then took off in a dead sprint. Given that Erza had driven the magic mobile and used one of her best armors to deal with the trash that were too pitiful to be dark mages, she was somewhat tired. Aches and soreness crept into her being but she pushed on.

As Erza spared a glance over, she took in the sight of the man running next to her. This man wasn't showing any type of fatigue whatsoever. He was the main reason for defeating Erigor's underlings and then some. Her first impression of him screamed cockiness and arrogance upon his flashy arrival, which by the way raised another red flag. But her first impression about him vanished at the awesome display of power and speed he put on display. To make a man bleed so easily… to put others in their place with a flick of the wrist… he must have had a vast amount of power to do things so easily.

But she brushed those thoughts aside and redirected her eyes towards the exit to which they slowed down. Upon emerging on an elevated platform, they saw the conductor addressing the populace, assuring the situation inside wasn't as bad as it seemed… awkward right?

Before he could assure the crowd and settle their uneasiness, Erza snatched the megaphone from his hand.

"Attention everyone! The Dark Guild Eisenwald has taken over the station! They plan on a using a very deadly weapon of magical nature! Evacuate immediately before you are all killed!"

After the knight's sudden outburst, there was nothing but stunned silence amongst the massive crowd.

What followed was sheer pandemonium and chaos as everyone ran for their lives. Even the conductors, who wanted to reprimand Erza for what they saw as bad judgement, wasted no time leaving the station. In a matter of minutes, Erza and Bardock were standing on the platform with no one else around.

"Well… there goes the neighborhood." Bardock joked with a smirk.

"A joke? At a time like this?" Erza questioned in disbelief.

The Saiyan merely dropped his smirk and shrugged, causing the redhead to let out a somewhat exasperated sigh. But as soon as the sigh left her lips, she felt a breeze across her face. Then that breeze turned into a blistering whirlwind. At that moment her eyes widened at the sight of what appeared to be a twister encompassing the entire station.

"What…?" Erza muttered in pure shock.

Bardock simply crossed his arms and growled a little in annoyance. This was not how he imagined spending his day. Curiosity and boredom might have finally gotten the better of him in this instance. But on the bright side he was saving lives and meeting one of Fairy Tail's elite. It was total far cry from his days decimating and enslaving planets. If Gine were here, what would she think? Brushing those thoughts aside, Bardock's scowl held up despite the few seconds of mentally sidetracking himself.

"A tornado?" he prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"No, a wind barrier. It must be Erigor's doing." Erza said as she walked forward.

Bardock simply grunted at the brief explanation. The white haired, lanky punk erected a barrier and left without as so much as a 'goodbye' to his opponents. Next time, the Saiyan Rebel was going to be sure to remind Erigor never to turn your back on your opponents or assume victory because you trapped them.

As Bardock was contemplating his punishment of the supposed 'Death God', Erza tested the effectiveness of the barrier made of wind. Suffice to say it hurt like hell, but to her credit the girl didn't show it on her face. The knight stuck her armored hand inside the howling winds and retracted it quickly when she was met with resistance. The result ended in a bloodied hand that luckily wasn't broken.

"Smart move. But you would have to think that the people here aren't his target if he used something like this." Bardock stated.

Erza made her way back to his side and tilted her head to think on that sentence. Something didn't add up. Her original hypothesis before the battle began was that Erigor would use the flute to kill the people her in Oshibana. But he would have done so the moment they all stepped foot inside. Or would he?

"You're right. What would his other target be?"

Right away the Saiyan began deducing the likely names of targets on the wannabe assassin's little hit list. If you're going to kill, there has to be some purpose or reason behind. When he and his squad were starting out, each and almost every mission had some end goal in mind. There was always the tactical outcome and the outcome concerned with the bigger picture. He knew Erigor's true goal was to kill and to do it with something called 'Lullaby' that much was certain. But who was he aiming to kill and to what end?

He was tired of mulling over the some of the possibilities and decided on a plan of somehow destroying the barrier. But first things first he needed the space.

"Get the others. I'll think of a way of bypassing this barrier in the meantime."

Erza for a second looked at him as if he had multiple heads on his shoulders. But then she realized that if they were going to escape they needed to be at full strength. Being the leader she was she made the right call in agreeing with the Saiyan's suggestion.

"Right." Erza responded with an affirmed nod.

Fairy Tail's favorite redhead took off in a dead sprint back the way she and Bardock came from. Aforementioned Saiyan Rebel then uncrossed his arms and inspected the barrier. It wouldn't be long before Erza's little team of magic users would be back, so he had some time to calm himself a little even though he didn't need to. The only sound he heard was the howling wind and possibly his beating heart.

 _("I could just power up to dispel the barrier or use an energy blast.")_

With both options in mind, he wanted to try the first one out of curiosity. So in coming to a decision, the man turned his body to the side and outstretched one arm, palm open.

 _("Time to try this out.")_

A blue aura encompassed his hand before the aura transformed into a burning blue orb of Ki. A simple Ki blast to test the waters or wind in this case. Without so much as blinking he let out a grunt as he sent the orb crashing into the raging winds that surrounded the train station. The orb wasn't even the size of a watermelon but he was impressed with how much backlash he got and the results of him testing his first option at escaping.

First off the winds picked up a little but settled down to their normal pace afterwards. If he wanted to he just blast his way but he figured it would do more harm than good. Second, an almost human sized hole formed in the barrier before it closed up. Meaning it left Bardock with one option on finding his allies an escape route. He let out a low hum gathering his final thoughts.

 _("Damn… looks like I'm powering my way out of here. Hopefully those damn kids get back.")_

He then resumed his normal posture while facing the barrier. It had only taken a few minutes but he noticed several signatures approaching him, one of which he recognized as hostile but gradually getting weaker. This person, he surmised must have had a brief brush with death. Something was telling him that it couldn't have been the kids, they were naturally too soft to do something like that. Something was also telling him that it couldn't have been one of those troublesome kids because they were naturally stronger than their opponents which left him to one conclusion… an enemy has now been taken prisoner. And the enemy prisoner has likely been wounded. By who and for what reason Bardock didn't care.

Lo and behold, it was only a moment later until Fairy Tail's newly formed team came to the platform… carrying a severely injured Kageyama. Natsu and Gray looked pissed, Lucy was nervous, Happy was somewhat serious but still kept a smile and Erza… Bardock could tell she was not having a good day.

"Do I want to know?" The Saiyan questioned with a raised brow.

Erza sat the bandaged Kageyama against a pillar before turning her attention to the older male.

"Kageyama here could have helped in dispelling the barrier with his power. He was the one who broke the seal on Lullaby in the first place." She explained.

A power to dispel the barrier? Bardock snorted internally at the thought. Even when at full strength this Kagejima or whatever his name was couldn't even hold a candle to his own comrade let alone one of the kids. Hell Lucy could probably take him and win as long as he didn't get her keys or try anything funny with her. Still it was a bit disappointing. They had a potential game changer in terms of escaping and it was wasted, bringing back Bardock's theory that the man had been betrayed to the forefront. The looks he observed everyone making was all the confirmation he needed.

"Well so much for that plan…" Bardock muttered underneath his breath.

Not wanting to dwell on the missed opportunity, Bardock turned his attention towards the arguing idiots as he called them. Two hot blooded, pig headed teens who had the need to fight for dominance every time they were around each other. It was either that or they were simply doing what rivals do to a degree of violence that on the daily could become annoying.

Case and point were proved when Natsu charged in with a flame coated fist straight into the wind barrier. The futile attempt sent him crashing into the pillar back first. Lucy, being the angel she was checked to make sure he was ok. Bardock was keeping a few mental notes of their behavior when they interacted. Not that it mattered but oddly enough the two reminded him of himself and Gine back when they were younger. That thought was squashed when Gray put in his two cents worth.

"You idiot! You trying to kill yourself? It's a wind barrier! Just look what it did to Erza's hand!"

Natsu didn't like that statement obviously so he got in Gray's face, butting heads with the young man.

"Dammit we gotta do something and I don't see you trying to help!"

"Enough!"

The rivals recoiled at the sound of authority in Bardock's voice. Immediately they felt fear of being reprimanded. To make matters worse, this wasn't even Erza they were dealing with… it was that guy. The same guy who toyed with Eisenwald like they were just kids on the playground and he was the bully.

Diverting his attention away from the rivals, Bardock turned his gaze to, what he could attribute as the only level headed member of the team.

"Erza, do you know who Erigor is targeting?" Bardock prompted.

"The Guild Masters in Clover." Erza swiftly replied.

( _"Shit."_ )

"Well if that's the case…" Bardock trailed off as he closed his eyes.

He then opened them and walked towards the barrier. Realizing what he was about to do, everyone's eyes widened in shock and horror as they saw him attempt to do something incredibly risky.

"Bardock stop! You'll get hurt!" Erza pleaded as she was about to intervene.

Ignoring her plea, the rebel shoved his hand into the barrier drawing reactions from the team that ranged from stupefied to flabbergast. His Saiyan biology mixed with the Ki flowing in his arm kept him from being harmed. That and this wind was weak compared to the ones he faced when he tagged along with Shugesh and Borgos for a mission. Oddly enough both Tora and Fasha called in sick for that mission, when in reality Bardock knew those two just wanted to relieve some stress from the constant re-deployment. And they did… in more ways than one.

When he told Gine this after returning from the mission debrief she merely laughed it off. She confided in him how Tora and Fasha must have been getting closer recently. After all, Bardock and Fasha sort of had a thing themselves before Gine joined the squad. Fasha wasn't even jealous… in fact she was thrilled at having a female comrade to fight by her side in a squad full of muscle bound Saiyan meatheads. Bardock and the boys waved off the somewhat rude comment and went about welcoming their newest comrade. Of course that little trip down memory lane had to end as Bardock focused on the here and now.

"Heh… Tickles." The man commented with a smirk.

The Saiyan glanced over his shoulder to see the priceless looks he was receiving. The best of course was from Erza and Gray, seeing they were still relatively unfamiliar with his capabilities as a warrior.

"See? Now relax, I got this."

He turned his head back to facing the barrier. Then he dropped his smirk and ignited his aura. He was glad that he could finally dispel the barrier his own way instead of relying on a bunch of teenagers. What was their escape plan? Digging a hole to the other side?

One his aura encompassed his whole body, he slowly walked in, wind not affecting him or his clothes in the slightest. Given there was no ground to step onto, he hovered as he bent his arms and legs preparing to power up. His voice started low before it was roaring with the authority of an alpha predator or an alpha male. This was a field test to max out his power by powering up… and the test went smoothly. Slowly but assuredly the barrier was becoming unstable at the raw might and power of Saiyan warrior who wasn't even an elite during his tenure in the military. The phenomenal display also brought reaction from the Fairy Tail wizards.

"H-He's doing it…" Lucy stammered in hushed awe.

"What the hell…?" Gray muttered with wide eyes.

"Whoa…" Natsu commented slack jawed.

Happy merely smiled to a point it could be considered a Cheshire level grin. Erza on the other hand… her brain simply broke from the strain of trying to comprehend what she was witnessing. This man was not normal and neither was his power. It dwarfed hers and scarily enough… it could even dwarf the two strongest members of the guild. No… Bardock couldn't be stronger than the Master? Could he?

As he continued to roar, Bardock built up his Ki before releasing it in a powerful shockwave similar to that ancient alpha predator who destroyed Japan in another universe. A bright light and gale force winds force the young mages back… and not just back they were flying. Hell, even the badly injured Kageyama was awoken to a somewhat conscious state although he was still unable to comprehend anything that was going on.

By the time the barrier was destroyed, the young mages staggered to their hands and knees… only to be shocked once again at the sight they saw. The barrier was gone and Bardock was hovering in the air, aura still going strong and not a scratch on his person. Said Saiyan then grunted before he turned around and hovered over the platform before gently touching down. The second his aura dissipated, his still new comrades rushed him with smiles… somehow he didn't notice that two of them were missing so it was just a trio.

"The barrier's gone! Bardock you did it!" Lucy cheered with a big smile.

He couldn't hold back the smirk that reached his face. If they were amazed now, just wait until later. He was nowhere near the height of his power.

"It seems I underestimated you. My apologies." Erza apologized with a sincere smile.

"Forget about it. We have bigger things to worry about." Bardock merely waved off.

Seconds after those words left his mouth, his senses screamed at him. His eyes widened as he turn to see Happy take off at max speed with an overeager Natsu in tow. The others of course were surprised as well because apparently, Natsu had a knack for disappearing at the right time without them knowing.

"Natsu?!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.

"Dammit! Stupid kid!" Bardock said angrily.

The nerve! Bardock was bored having to waste his time on trash while helping the mages on their mission. However he was angry at how weak their cohesion and teamwork was. Erza played the leadership role to the best of her abilities despite two members of her team being rivals while also being idiots. Lucy, although she could use her whip and or summon spirits, wasn't the strongest so she could easily be considered someone who fits a support role. Happy was a mascot… his powers were flight so yeah that was his role. Lastly the duo of Fire and Ice, as volatile as they were, served as the team's best offense and defense while backing their strongest member who was also their team leader.

Now the issue at hand was the fact Natsu abandoned his team to go pick a fight. No, he rushed headlong into wanton danger just to pick a fight. No plan. No warning. Hell, the pink haired brat didn't even ask for permission. Is this how teams in Fairy Tail operate? The lack of a true command structure could get these kids killed one of these days. Bardock knew they weren't military but even the makeshift armies he faced were better than this. It was at that moment the Saiyan made up his mind and decided to intercept the fire breather and fight Erigor on his own. It wasn't an issue about Natsu's safety, this was an issue on insubordination.

Igniting his aura, accidentally blowing high winds in the faces of Erza, Lucy and Gray; Bardock took off for the skies.

"Bardock wait!"

"We have to move now!" Erza ordered.

With that the remaining members of Fairy Tail's strongest team grabbed Kageyama and rushed towards the magic mobile that brought them to the station. At the rate Happy was flying, same with Bardock, they had a lot of ground to cover. But they had full confidence that the situation would be resolved if Bardock had any say.

Speaking of…

Said Saiyan was an intercept course. Cutting off Dumb & Dumber would be easy, while the next approach of how to subdue them would be tricky. Should he fight Natsu like he did in Hargeon? Or should give the kid a love tap to knock his lights out? Although he didn't mind either, he felt a bit off for doing something as drastic to a comrade. He never really had to discipline his teammates back in his universe all that much. The squad he led was so in sync that they knew their orders and stayed within the bounds of their duty. However, he did need to reprimand the troublemakers of the team, namely Fasha on several occasions. She had a knack for doing the small stupid stuff but nothing that wouldn't jeopardize their lives.

Upon seeing Natsu, Bardock decided to reminisce on his past when the mission was done. He lowered himself to the right side and Happy was the first to react. Poor guy forgot that Bardock was a flyer too. Natsu of course caught his partner's reaction and the near comical shock on his face would have been worth it.

"Huh?! Bardock?!"

Bardock slowly turned his head while in flight, slowly meeting a withering gaze on the young Dragon Slayer. At first Natsu felt shivers down his spine… the next moment all he saw was Bardock's fist before blacking out. His new friend had knocked him out with well-placed fist to the face.

A moment later, Bardock had Natsu tucked in his right arm and Happy tucked in his left as he went on another intercept course, this time for Erigor. Sensing the assassin was easy, so he decided to wait for him once he reached a spot on the tracks instead of killing him outright by ramming into him, sending him several hundred feet to his death. He was still tempted because of the irritation Erigor had caused him earlier but he figured waiting for the white haired bastard just to humiliate him would be enough.

"Why did you punch Natsu?" Happy meekly asked.

"Because he went off halfcocked without a plan. That and he disobeyed the unspoken rule of leaving a teammate or in this case the rest of his team behind just to pick a fight." Bardock explained while scowling.

The Saiyan knew the little fur ball was mostly innocent in this whole matter. After all, Happy was simply following Natsu's lead and it was clear since day one the two were tight. So when he noticed how slightly dejected Happy looked after using somewhat of harsh tone in his explanation, he let out a frustrated sigh. These damn fruitcakes were making him soft!

"On other days I wouldn't mind but not today. If the stakes are as high as they are like now, you follow orders and stick with your team without question. Got it?"

"Aye." Happy meekly replied.

Like that a short silence ensued as Bardock neared what appeared to be a set of canyons and ravines, along with the track that lead back to Oshibana station or into Clover Town depending on perspective.

Using his senses, he felt his target approach and it was only going to be a minute before arrived if the target was sticking to his current speed. Without wasting a second, Bardock let Happy hop out of his arm while he gently set Natsu face down on the track.

30 seconds…

"Stay here." Bardock ordered without sparing a glance.

He turned around with his back to his companions, scowling in the direction of an approaching figure. At long last Erigor had arrived but was shocked to see two people and a fur ball beat him to this location. He quickly figured they must have found a way to bypass the barrier and the man who punched him earlier used that technique of his to get here before he did. Hopefully the supposed Death God's opponent would be fatigued… hopefully.

"Looks like you caught me. You are pretty strong for a fly but you won't get a cheap shot in like last time." The Assassin sneered.

Bardock's hard gaze on Erigor still remained. The Saiyan let out a low chuckle at the statement. He found it funny that Erigor still underestimated and he was going to make sure the assassin remembered him and his power for years to come.

"Cheap shot? From what I can recall you let your guard down punk. And that wasn't a cheap shot…"

He took a few steps forward and could tell that Erigor was silently fuming. Then he crossed his arms and looked the white haired youth dead in his eyes as if he were taunting him.

"That was a 'light' tap." Bardock finished with a smirk.

Gone was the sure confidence, here was the blinding anger. Erigor didn't like Bardock one bit for the humiliation back at the station and he damn sure didn't like being toyed around with as if he were an amateur. So without any hesitation he sent streams of different wind attacks towards his enemy, hoping to make short work of him before proceeding to his final goal.

First was **Storm Shred** , a series of wind based projectiles that Erigor conjured up through an incantation. Hundreds upon hundreds of crescent shaped blades shot out and the resident Saiyan wasted no time in an effective response. With his arms still crossed he hopped around on one foot while either dodging the wind blades or simply batting them away with his Ki infused hands. Erigor tried this again only for the result to repeat itself so his first spell was useless.

Second was **Magic Wind Palm** , a combination of spinning wind in his hands before joining them together and sending them towards a target as an area attack. This new spell was destructive and he had only tested it on a target once. Not even the bones were safe from the destructive power.

When Erigor launched his attack, he expected it to do damage and destroy the track alongside the speed bump that had grated on his nerves. However, what he got was completely unexpected. Right as the torrent of wind neared Bardock he narrowed his eyes and hit the attack dead on with his right hand, dispelling the wind and not taking one hint of damage.

The apparent Shinigami was getting desperate. At no point during his time using magic had he seen someone dismiss his wind so casually and with so much power. It was rather mind blowing that someone was matching him or possibly beating him with such efficiency and raw power. Plus the fact of both observations made him angry and now he was fed up.

He wouldn't resort to his trump card at the risk of his face or body being broken. So he decided on the next best thing… **Emera Baram** , a spell similar to **Storm Bringer** but much more devastating, especially to flesh and bone. The spell tends to cut down targets with high speed winds until there's nothing left but blood and bone or maybe even dust.

Erigor initiates the spell by bending his arms and pointing his hands towards the sky, with their index and middle fingers stretched. He subsequently places his two index and middle fingers in an " _X_ " shape in front of him, generating a halo of light around his hands, from which a large, concentrated blast of wind blades is fired.

"Die!"

Happy saw the oncoming attack and picked up Natsu off the track just in the nick of time as Erigor's powerful wind blades impacted the track and Bardock. The blue Exceed was somewhat nervous at what he just witnessed. He hadn't spoken much since Bardock promptly knocked out his adoptive dad and best friend. He couldn't hold it against the Saiyan because he got the clear subtle message of sticking with the team instead of going off on your own. Happy just wished Natsu didn't have to get violently punched in the face.

Meanwhile Erigor was cackling and grinning maliciously in triumph. At last he finally had taken down the arrogant fly that stood in his way of his goal. Now all that was left was to finish off the man's companions and…

Before he could finish the thought, a silhouette of a spikey haired man stood tall and unmoving. The debris and dust started to settle, revealing an unharmed Bardock who looked both annoyed and bored at the same time. For a brief moment he brushed some dirt off his unharmed person, clothes also remaining unchanged.

"N-no way!" Erigor stammered in shock and fear.

Bardock proceeded to crack his knuckles and his neck before settling his hard onyx eyes on the young man who had greatly annoyed him to no end.

"My turn."

Just like back at the station, Bardock flickered out of existence before reappearing before Erigor several feet away in mid-air. Seeing his opponent was likely going for a frontal assault, Eisenwald's Ace brought up his scythe in defense. It only proved for naught as Bardock shot forward at unimaginable speeds, rearing his arm back. Instead of the blue Ki that was usually formed for his attacks, a blood or maroon color Ki swirled around his right forearm and hand.

Erigor didn't know what to expect. This man was powerful… too powerful for even him. This was not a mere observation but a fact. A fact made too clear as his defenses loosened out of fear, giving Bardock the opening he never really needed. The Saiyan's cocked back arm then came down hard on Erigor's left arm that was supporting his scythe… the result was a limb falling onto the tracks below.

The Death God screamed and howled in agony. His enemy… a 'Fairy Fly'… had literally punched his arm off. To the only other witness of this was the ever so innocent blue Exceed who broke out in a cold sweat at seeing something of that level of brutality. Bardock had punched off a good chunk of Erigor's arm, taking out everything up until the beginning of Erigor's left bicep.

To add insult to injury, while Erigor was groveling and whimpering on his knees once he landed on the track, Bardock shot a Ki blast and incinerated the now useless appendage. Sure it was brutal but it was necessary. This young man… not a kid… young man was a killer through and through. The Saiyan Rebel had let the young assassin's buddies off easy, including the one who stabbed Kageyama in the back both literally and figuratively. He hated betrayal more than anything because it hit too close to home. Stowing those thoughts away like everything else, he returned his focus to the pathetic excuse of an assassin.

"Guess you won't need that arm anymore will you?"

Erigor simply glared at the man who was leagues above him and knew this man had little mercy left to give. Meanwhile, Bardock was somewhat amazed the young man wasn't crying yet like one of the numerous aliens he slaughtered. He and his team had maimed enemies before so this was nothing new.

"Surrender. It's over." Bardock said in a level tone.

Slowly and shakily rising to his feet, Eisenwald's Ace gripped the scythe with his only good hand left. If he weren't wearing the glove, an outside observer could tell his knuckles were turning a ghostly white. Gritting his teeth in agony and frustration, Erigor stood hunched over somewhat before rearing his head back and letting out a howl to the heavens as if to curse the gods themselves.

"Never!" Erigor exclaimed in pure defiance.

The assassin rushed forward with his scythe in his right arm… his only arm. The Saiyan however brought up his right hand to adjust his arm sleeve, narrowing his gaze at his target. He hadn't had much time to try this move out yet but his visions and dreams illustrated to him that it was effective. It wouldn't replace that one move he used which he preferred when going in for the kill of a powerful opponent. **Final Revenger**. The name had a good ring to it. But this move was more akin to what his son used, as well as being used by his comrades.

 **Meteor Combination**.

This move or set of moves lived up to the name and then some. It was rather simple, deliver a devastating flurry of punches and kicks at speed that would seem god-like to the opponent and they would fall as a result. Now was the perfect time to execute the move, although once this was over Bardock knew the move would be a waste on a weak and maimed opponent who was hardly worth his time.

Nevertheless, Bardock ignited his aura and shot forward meeting Erigor head on. Whatever Erigor planned to do was squashed as the next thing he felt was pain. Punch, Kick, Punch, Punch, Punch, Kick, Kick, Jab, Uppercut, Roundhouse… And not too long after the first punch thrown, it was over. 20 hits… a successful 20-hit combo using a series of punches and kicks too fast to the naked eye. The Death God wasn't dead but he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. The white haired wind mage fell hard onto the tracks, out cold sporting bruises and a stub where his left arm was at the end of his bicep. This was how Eisenwald met its end… at the hands of a man from another universe who wasn't even a human to begin with.

"Tch. Be grateful I spared you kid." Bardock spat in disgust.

Bardock's aura dissipated and he landed feet first on the track next to the unconscious body of his foe. He stared down at Erigor for a moment before his eyes landed on a strange looking object. It appeared to be a flute with multiple skulls on it, made out of dark wood. The Saiyan bent over to pick it up in one hand and examined it a bit more thoroughly.

( _"I'm curious as to how this thing works… maybe there's a hidden power in there I'm unaware of."_ ) Bardock thought curiously.

Deep down part of Bardock said that the kids were fighting to keep this flute from getting into the wrong hands. That part didn't make any sense to him whatsoever. So he went with the theory of an overzealous dark mage trying to kill people who were stronger than him with his pathetic excuse for Wind magic. He proceeded to turn away from Erigor and walk towards the two idiots he found himself babysitting.

"Oh well." The Saiyan as he tossed the flute back to Erigor's person.

Happy gave a short wave while smiling, which Bardock returned with a nod as he strode his way back over to a sleeping Fire Breather. He stopped a few feet away and crossed his arms again. Today wasn't as fun as he hoped but at least he got out and about. Suddenly Natsu started to stir and groan as he was awakening from his impromptu nap.

"Good you're awake." Bardock stated.

Natsu's eyes immediately shot open and he shot his upper body, immediately darting his head left and right.

"Who?! Wha?!"

After identifying both his companions, the scowling Bardock and the smiling Happy, Natsu glanced around at their surroundings. He was sitting on train tracks. Said train tracks were surrounded by canyons, ravines and deep gorges that must have went several hundred feet down. It then dawned on him what had happened before he blacked out. Deep in his recall he remembered forming a plan with Happy while the others were distracted with praising Bardock. Seeing the Saiyan overpower wind with a shockwave attack was inspiring. So inspiring that he took his usual approach and proceeded on with the mission leaving his teammates behind. He was hoping they wouldn't be too mad for him going on ahead and dealing with the Eisenwald riffraff. He failed however to taken into account that Bardock could fly too. At first he was surprised and somewhat excited to have Bardock join him in taking down Erigor. That thought was quickly squashed when he got punched in the face.

( _"Erigor!"_ )

Without wasting time Natsu used his senses to track where the aptly named Death God was… only to see a broken, unconscious body past Bardock.

"W-what… what happened to him?" Natsu shakily asked.

Happy gave what amounted to a sheepish smile and pointed towards their other universe friend. Natsu immediately followed and couldn't help but be a bit more nervous than before.

"Me."

Natsu visibly gulped and lowered his head both out of shame and slight anxiety. He had a feeling Bardock was disciplining him for doing something wrong without having to say a word. And if anything, the silence of his partner only added to his feeling.

"Is he dead?" Natsu questioned in a low tone.

Happy frowned and turned up to look to Bardock. The blue Exceed wasn't good with sensing magic or the life force of others so he was hoping Bardock hadn't killed anyone at all. Bardock remained as stoic as ever and spoke in a level tone.

"No, he's lucky I was feeling merciful like I was with his buddies."

Natsu perked up for a bit before he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh."

"Natsu! Happy! Bardock!"

Upon hearing the angelic voice of his other partner, Natsu shot to his feet, earning an amused eyebrow raise from the Saiyan rebel in response. Happy of course took his place by Natsu's side as the trio saw the Magic Mobile skid to a halt. Gray rushed out and supported an exhausted Erza while Lucy to the moment to rush out front only to stop dead in her tracks.

"So what did we… miss?" Gray trailed off.

Kageyama who had regained consciousness during the road trip, slowly got out of the magic mobile and met a sight that unnerved him and the other three mages greatly. Lying face down and bloodied on the tracks was Erigor. From what they could tell, he looked on the verge of dying and was missing part of his arm.

( _"Erigor?!"_ ) Four of them thought collectively.

Lucy put both hands over her mouth as she stared horrified at the dark mage's condition. She didn't like him for the way he talked down on her and her friends but she would never take things that far. Being a still relatively new Fairy Tail addition, she would never stoop so low and dishonor herself or the guild in anyway.

Gray was shocked and couldn't help but be disgusted. He never liked demons or dark mages but he could still put a line between the two. It would be a hundred, hell a thousand years before he could ever find himself in a position to brutalize an enemy.

Kageyama literally turned more shades of white and not from the blood loss but from the sickening fact he was way out of his league. Even worse, a guy he looked up to and was his leader was soundly defeated. It didn't take a genius to know who did the damage.

And then there was Erza who was the perfect cross between pure mortification and seething anger. Her professionalism and composure were slowly but assuredly failing her, something she couldn't let happen. Upon seeing Erigor in the state he was in, she felt a bit remorseful. As an honorable mage, she would never take things that far. But of course she was just lying to herself. If anyone had threatened the lives of the innocent or her guild she wouldn't hesitate to strike them down with extreme prejudice.

With that thought, Erza's shocked expression turned into a stern frown as she looked at the culprit of the carnage.

"Explain."

The trio of Bardock, Natsu and Happy approached the other Fairy Tail mages. Keeping his arms crossed, Bardock gave off an aura of boredom and impassiveness. The others immediately noticed Natsu trailing behind with a frown. Suddenly, pity welled within their stomachs as they saw his face. Lucy wanted nothing to do but comfort him while also telling him about leaving her and the others behind just to go fight. But she kept her mouth shut and felt she could talk to him more when the mission was over.

"I punched his arm off and then hit him several times. He won't be saying much for a while believe me." Bardock explained.

Tension. The proper term for a situation such as this. Bardock was an unmoving mountain as Erza sent a withering gaze his way. This is the same teenage redhead who could scare most armies into submission and whip her friends into proper discipline but Bardock took it like it was nothing. Unlike the stripper and the fire breather, Erza couldn't scare Bardock one bit. There was only one woman who could scare the strongest being in Earth Land, but she might as well be dead thanks to that bastard tyrant he once called a boss.

"You… punched his arm…?" Lucy prompted in disbelief.

"And it came off yeah."

Erza spared another glance over to Erigor's barely breathing body.

"Even so that's a bit extreme." The knight commented with a wince.

"Save the damn lectures, I knew what I was doing. Besides, I'm sure he'll be fine so let's grab the sorry bastard and-"

His Saiyan instincts kicked in as he pressed his foot to the ground and jumped roughly several meters or so in the air. Natsu grabbed Happy and tackled Lucy to the side while Gray managed to get Erza to the ground as well. What caused them to scatter like flies? Welp… apparently Kageyama is a very sore loser.

"You won't catch me now flies!" Kageyama sneered as he sped off.

"Dammit!" Gray yelled in irritation.

"Get back here Kage!"

( _"See, that right there is why I shouldn't hold back anymore."_ ) Bardock thought as his eyebrows visibly twitched.

"We have to go after him! Double time it everyone!" The redhead ordered.

"Right! Let's go save Gramps!" Natsu exclaimed with renewed vigor.

"Aye sir!" Happy chirped.

With that Bardock and Erza led the way as the group of Fairy Tail magers ran towards Clover Town on foot. Bardock immediately figured it be best to stick with the group to not make himself look like a hypocrite. That and he was still observing the teenagers he knew for sure he was babysitting. Whatever this mission was… it sure spelled inefficiency. If they were his squad, they wouldn't last half a day.

By the time the group had reached Clover Town, night had fallen and the League building was in range. As they got closer they made out two individuals who were speaking. One was Kageyama with lullaby in his hands and the other was Master Makarov.

"Master!" Erza exclaimed.

A chubby arm outstretched itself and block the group's path. Bardock got a good look at the person who possessed the arm and did a double take. Suddenly his instincts screamed to stay away from this odd looking individual.

"Hush now."

This chubby individual with a weird looking outfit then turned his attention towards the mages and the Saiyan. The three males in the group suddenly caught his eye.

"Oh my just look at you young lovelies~!"

Natsu and Gray embraced each other as they were sweating bullets. This made Happy laugh while Lucy looked on disturbed. When the individual turned his eyes of admiration on Bardock things got even weirder.

"Especially you, you hunk of man~! Muwah~!"

His face went blue then green before he flickered over to a bush and let out the contents of the meal he had earlier. After violently puking his guts, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

( _"What the hell was that?! Everywhere I go I'm always meeting people with a screw loose! Seriously who dresses like that?!"_ )

While Gray and Natsu were still holding each other like some kids in a haunted house, Bardock stormed back over as Lucy asked the unanswered question in the air.

"Erza who's that?"

"This man is Master Bob."

"As in the master of Blue Pegasus?"

"The one in the same."

Bardock just scowled harder than before. This weird, man-baby looking freak show was a guild master? Seriously? If that were the case then ugly SOBs like Shugesh and Borgos could have been Guild masters if they wanted. Out of the corner of his eye, the Saiyan spotted a man with a weird pointed hat and shades approach the bushes.

"Master Goldmine." Erza greeted with a curt nod.

The Master of Quatro Cerberus gave a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning his attention back to the scene playing out in front of them.

"You might learn something kids so just watch."

What ensued was a beautiful scene of how Makarov disarmed the young dark mage with words and not action. He explained how if he truly wanted to change the way things were, he shouldn't aim for revenge or goals that hurt the innocent. Makarov told the young Kageyama to own his own destiny for the better and make something of himself out of the darkness he was soaked in. Find friends, go on adventures and see the world. Just like that, Kageyama broke into tears, dropped the flute and surrendered.

When it was over Bardock couldn't help but smirk. He hated the fact these damn fruitcakes were making him soft but he had to admit they had a certain spirit about him that made him feel good. The others of course rushed Master Makarov surprising him. The mission was finally over.

While the teenagers were conversing with Makarov, the two Guild masters from before were checking on the still injured Kageyama who appeared subdued. Still smirking, Bardock's gaze met with Makarov's for a moment. The old man smiled widely, ignoring the fact Natsu was still patting him on the head.

" **You cowards…"**

A disembodied voice interrupted everyone. Bardock turned his attention to the source. Natsu and Makarov were wide eyed when they saw the object.

( _"The flute… talked?"_ ) Bardock thought with a raised eyebrow.

" **All this talk is really irritating… Now it is time to feast…"**

"Guys… I think the flute just talked…" Lucy said as she pointed a shaking finger at the said object.

Suddenly smoke, dark clouds and tendrils of magic energy enveloped the flute as a gargantuan shape took form in front of the League hall.

" **It is time to feast upon all your souls!"**

The flute had transformed into what looked like Lullaby's final form. It was extremely tall, had three eyes, two legs, two arms and one head. Also there were many cutouts in its body. And just like in its flute form, Lullaby was made of wood in its demon form.

"Looks like this thing is from a Book of Zeref." Goldmine chimed in.

Bardock looked over to the Guild master who had every right to be nervous.

"Who the hell is Zeref?"

"Zeref is a legend or a myth depending on where you go. You see, according to ancient tales Zeref was the strongest dark wizard in the world earning him the nickname the 'The Black Wizard'." Goldmine explained.

"Hn."

Seeing the grunt as a sign to continue, the master of Quatro Cerberus pressed on despite the situation at hand.

"Zeref was also rumored to have immortality as he has been known to be sighted every now and then for the last 400 hundred years or so. During that time frame he created Demons using his dark magic and they are bound to things known as the 'Book of Zeref'. The book or books act as the life source to those tied to Zeref and his dark power, just like Lullaby was at some point."

An immortal wizard who dwelled in the darkness? Demons that did his bidding and his will? There was an irony to the situation that was not lost to the Saiyan Rebel. He hoped that if Zeref were still around, he was nothing but a sorry wuss who wanted nothing to do with violence. And if that weren't the case… Bardock would like to have some fun in seeing just how immortal he was.

* * *

 **Elsewhere**

 **Tenrou Island**

Out at sea was a lone Island with a big ass tree. For real, no shit it was a big ass tree. This tree was rooted and considered the landmark to those who knew its existence. Its existence was also coupled with the Island because only those bearing the mark of Fairy Tail could see it or experience its protection.

Night had already fallen and somewhere deep in the jungle lay a young man who happened to suffer the dark curse of immortality. He stared at the stars as he lies in the somewhat refreshing feel of the grass to his body. This Island after all had special meaning to both him and her.

Suddenly his emotionless visage broke as it twisted in concentration before…

"ACHOO!"

A sniffle and rub of his nose later, the dark one wondered how in the hell he sneezed? Do immortals even get sick? Some would even joke to him if immortals contracted Sexual diseases… those people who did ended up dead in his presence. After all he hated vulgarity.

* * *

 **Back to the action**

 **Clover Town**

"Erza! I think it's time you and your team show this demon how-" Makarov began

"I don't think so." Bardock interrupted

The spikey haired man stepped forward. He stood tall, muscles flexed as he readied himself for a short but entertaining fight. The demon was no match for him, he knew this. But he was ready to show off more of his capabilities in front of his new comrades, especially the old man.

"He's mine." Bardock stated with a challenging smirk.

"Wha?!" Makarov exclaimed as his jaw dropped.

"Huh?!" the other Fairy Tail members yelled.

"Wow such a brave man~!" Bob swooned with blush coated cheeks.

His smirk dropped and he scowled up at the demon who looked even hungrier than before. Looks like the demon found that Bardock would be tasty. That and deep down, Bardock was still sickened to the core by the blob of man wearing the odd outfit so his scowling visage was doing well against despite the sick feeling. He was broke out of revere when Erza gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Bardock, I don't think it would be wise to fight Lullaby on your own. You'll need our help." The knight offered with a smile.

Bardock simply blinked a few times before he decided to glance around. Lucy was obviously nervous and he knew she would be useless in this situation. Natsu gave a fiery thumbs up while Gray slammed his fist into his palm, both were grinning like the idiots they were. Both were strong enough to beat the demon of course so there's that. And then the Saiyan's eyes landed on Erza who smiled with full assurance and confidence. At that point he turned his attention back to the demon and said…

"Hell no." Bardock stated with an even tone.

The Fairy Tail members minus Erza comically fell face first at his words. It was like the man had a death wish! No one blatantly ignored advice from Erza or blew her off in such a fashion!

"Excuse me?!" Erza proclaimed with indignation.

"I don't doubt how strong this little ad-hoc squad of yours is but leave this one to me. Besides…" He trailed as he brought his arms into a power up pose.

* * *

 **[Start "Reminded"]**

"This pathetic excuse for a 'demon' ain't even a warmup, I'll make this quick."

With a deafening Saiyan battle cry, Bardock ignited his aura and shot forward. What ensued would forever be etched in the minds of the witnesses… as The Lost Warrior made his true debut and began his legend in Earth Land.

Lullaby grinned an evil grin as Bardock flew before flickering out of existence for a short period. Confusion crossed Lullaby's face before the Saiyan gave a hard kick to the side of the demon's head. In a pathetic attempt at a swat, Bardock dodged and landed on Lullaby's still outstretched arm. He was nowhere near as fast as the Saiyan warrior and it showed. Bardock ran up Lullaby's arm, the demon's eyes widened before Bardock delivered a powerful left cross throwing him off balance. The Rebellious Saiyan followed up with a roundhouse with his right leg and a spinning right handed jab.

This series of simple moves had Lullaby weakened and on his heels. Meanwhile, the onlookers stared in pure shock and awe. They all thought the same thing… damn he's strong. And he's winning too.

After that last punch, Bardock flew behind the staggered sound demon before flying towards his left leg. With minimal strength, he latched onto the leg and lifted Lullaby high in the air for a split second before letting go. This made Lullaby fall flat on his back and onto the League building, turning it to rubble.

If the spectators were impressed before, they were beyond it now. There was no way the man was normal. Was he even a wizard? Did he have any limits? The long queue of questions ended when the hovering warrior spoke up.

"You call yourself strong?" The Saiyan rebel taunted.

The Demon struggled onto one leg as it looked like it wanted to beg for mercy or kill him for the humiliation. Sucks to be him. Lullaby would get no mercy this day and definitely wouldn't have a chance to attack.

"You're not even in my league!" Bardock roared.

The Saiyan screamed as he ignited his aura once more, winds picking up in every direction. The sudden increase in winds threw everyone off for a minute before they regained their composure to withstand the torrent. Once they could clearly see again, they saw Bardock form a bright blue orb in his right fist.

It was time for the world to know who he was. He didn't care how many bad guys he had to stop or even kill. He didn't care what it would take in his training. All that mattered was the mission and seeing his son again. He would make it back and he would do it his own way. And he knew that he wouldn't do it alone. That's right… he wasn't alone anymore. He was not alone!

He clenched his fist as **Riot Javelin** formed. This would be the first time he used it since trying to stop Frieza. And there was no better time to unleash it.

"Now! Perish!"

The Saiyan Rebel cocked his arm back before throwing with the ferocity of a major league pitcher. The basketball sized orb made contact with Lullaby's chest before exploding in a brilliant flash of blue and white light. The explosion of course knocked everyone off their feet.

When all was said and done, everyone staggered back to a standing position before surveying the damage. Their jaws fell far as what was left of Lullaby and the League hall was nothing more than a crater now. Then they all looked up and their gazes fell to the Saiyan who still looked fresh, the man wasn't fatigued at all.

( _"His power… is unreal!"_ ) Erza commented with a growing smile.

( _"Dude… awesome."_ ) Gray thought, clearly impressed.

( _"Way to go Bardock!"_ ) Lucy and Natsu mentally cheered as they both smiled.

( _"Bardock my boy… you may have surpassed my wildest expectations. Never before have I seen someone that strong such as yourself. Your power may far exceed that of the other Wizard Saints and Gildarts. I do wonder what your future holds…"_ ) Makarov wondered as a hearty smile graced his features beneath his somewhat cool mustache.

 **[End "Reminded"]**

* * *

"Glad that's over." The Saiyan sighed out.

Bardock was really happy that the day was just over. Now he was starving and ready for more training after a good night's rest. Doing a job would have to wait a bit longer now. Now that the fight was over he landed on the ground and stared at the crater where his enemy once was. If any more of these demons popped up, he would annihilate them on the spot… or just let the kids take them on and tag in when necessary.

"Bardock!"

The team he had been working with ran towards him with excitement, happiness and relief. A swell of pride entered Bardock's being. He was finally glad to let loose a little after not seeing action for a while but even more so he participated in a mission for Fairy Tail, even though it likely wasn't going to pay.

"Nice work! That was amazing!" Lucy praised with a gleam in her eyes.

"What kind of magic do you even practice? A combination energy manipulation and wind magic maybe?" Erza prompted with growing eagerness.

Bardock closed his eyes and let out a short chuckle before crossing his arms. He opened his eyes again and let his eyes roam over each of them.

"I have my ways. I'll leave it at that." The Saiyan said with a smug smirk.

The trio of Natsu, Happy and Lucy laughed a little at that statement. Gray of course smiled and shook his head. Erza herself even let out a chuckle.

"Well that seems fair enough. Even so, well done." She thanked with a nod and a smile.

Bardock still smirked but grunted an acknowledgement. He had a feeling this team Erza put together had potential. Sure, their teamwork was kind of terrible, their communication was sorely lacking, discipline was also an issue and they were strong together but in summary they could be more. The wheels started to turn as The Lost Warrior began to brainstorm several ideas at improving Fairy Tail's newest team.

While Fairy Tail's newest team was giving its praises, Makarov and the other guild masters watched on with smiles.

"You've got yourself quite the wizard Makarov." One of the masters commented.

"Indeed I do. But he wasn't the only one that did good this day. That being said…"

The eldest Dreyar set his eyes on where the League building once stood and fell to his knees while clutching his stick.

"HE COMPLETELY WENT OVERBOARD!" Makarov cried out to the heavens.

After hearing that sentence, Fairy Tail's strongest team went quiet and sported wide eyes with sheepish smiles. At realizing his mistake Bardock kept his smirk and let out another grunt.

"Heh. Looks like I should have held back more. Oh well, I'll see you guys back home."

Bardock then turned around and flew off towards the way he and others came from. Upon realizing their friend had ditched them, the Fairy Tail members scrambled as they regrouped to leave the now angry guild masters. Natsu tucked Happy underneath his left arm and latched onto Lucy's wrist with his right hand before taking off into a dead sprint. Gray was not too far behind as well as Erza who placed the overdramatic Makarov on her back.

"Time to go!" Natsu exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Aye sir!" Happy complied with a smile.

"Don't leave us to take the blame dude! Not Cool!" Gray shouted as he ran.

"Please forgive us for our indiscretion master!" Erza said with sincerity and shame.

Somewhere in the sky away from view were two individuals. The more feminine of the two found herself smiling. She had finally found the subject of her desire for power and the key to unleashing the ultimate power that would change everything.

* * *

 **A/N: You have no idea how many laughs I had writing certain parts of this chapter.**

 **Anyways, this chapter was basically Bardock showing off and Fairy Tail's strongest team (aka Team Natsu) playing the support/spectating role. Honestly, this chapter was much longer than it needed to be because it was originally two separate chapters. But given how the story flowed I combined the two. Chapter length will likely vary from now on because I like going into detail and it's not just in this story.**

 **The fight scenes... Bardock pulled a Nappa on Erigor. There's nothing else that needs to be said on that end. The Lullaby fight was more or less Bardock feeding his Saiyan pride and showing off his skills to guild masters and his fellow guild mates. The action will definitely get better when future enemies appear.**

 **Oh, I didn't nerf Bardock at all. He knows when to hold back and when to let loose. And guess what guys? He's considering training Team Natsu! But that won't be the only surprise in store. Once we reach the Oracion Seis arc you'll see what I have planned out for these lovable teenage mages.**

 **Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here though. The next update will be coming late because of my obligations to school but it will come. The next time you see our Saiyan Rebel and his comrades of Fairy Tail... stuff happens. The Natsu vs Erza fight, Bardock's opinions on many matters and both Bardock and Erza are arrested by the council. But surprise and spoiler! A councilman makes an in person appearance to arrest our resident Saiyan. Readers and authors alike will likely know who Hahahahaha!**

 **Time to sign off guys. Thanks for the continued support and reviews. I appreciate everyone who's been tuning in.**

 **See ya later!**


	10. The Strongest Team?

**A/N: Hey Guys and Gals! I'm back!**

 **School has been taking up much of my time and believe me when I say it hasn't been easy. Luckily, one more semester and I'm a college grad. But yeah, apologies for the delay. I had a good portion of this chapter done for weeks but got sidetracked with so much. But luckily, this week gives me time to setup the next arc and future chapters. So before we go into the story, I want to get some things off my chest.**

 **1) I've recently picked up Assassin's Creed Odyssey and believe me when I say it is a gem. I've barely gotten started and I already like the game due to all the weapons and armors being presented. Plus from my initial observation, the game is similar to Syndicate in terms of offering Characters a different way to play. Plus Spartans are awesome! So yeah, I plan on giving a more thorough review once I've gotten a good feel on the characters and gameplay.**

 **2) The Final Season of Fairy Tail is up and although it is subbed, I've enjoyed it so far. But it's based off the Manga like every other series so I highly doubt the show will stray too far away from what we're expecting. Especially when it comes to Natsu and Lucy. Yes we understand he's not a romantic in any way shape or form. But some closure would be nice. If Natsu and Lucy would kiss and be done with it I would be satisfied. Anyways, expect me to get the season pass for the show once it's dubbed.**

 **3) Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest is the Sequel to Fairy Tail as I said before. Truth is it won't be incorporated into this story but will be incorporated into my other one which is big. And by big I do mean huge. I'm hoping Mashima brings the fans closure with regards to Natsu and Lucy at some point. That's all I want. And for everyone who's been finding a way to ready the Sequel online... thoughts on the Gajeel and Levy development just message me so we avoid spoilers.**

 **4) My thoughts on High School DXD... why? Incredbile powerful characters who are subjugated to the fact the entire series is nothing but glorified fan-service. Yes I'll admit that there are so many beautiful girls in that show but they waste their time on a pathetic loser like Issei. He's done nothing but react to every single situation and his sole goal is just to have a bunch of women. That's his sole reason for getting stronger and quite honestly the goal is a load of BS. True he wants to protect his friends and family but his glaring goal of trying to be a harem king kind of supersedes it. Plus I just downright don't like Issei in general. Compared to every other Anime hero, Issei is weak in power and in character. Reason why if I ever go through with doing a DXD crossover, I'm showing the little rat no mercy. There will be no harems but there will be romance and intrigue.**

 **5) I got ideas for a crossovers involving Roxas, Axel and Namine from Kingdom Hearts. Plus I got ideas for crossovers featuring Final Fantasy characters that don't often get to shine on the site. Come on guys, let's give our favorite characters some love!**

 **Last thing, my profile has been updated with a Preferred pairings list. That's right, any pairings I prefer will be featured in all my fics and I will only make changes if I see the need for it.**

 **All that said, let's get you into the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Sometime Later**

 **Era**

 **Magic Council HQ**

You the reader are probably wondering where we are in the story? Time for a helluva good recap.

You see…

It all started when the Father of Goku went on a suicide run to stop Frieza from blowing up his world and avenge his team. Even despite the odds of imminent death, Bardock fought on. In the end, Frieza beat him and killed the Saiyan race with just a flick of the wrist. Of course as you know the story doesn't end there.

A mysterious figure, who Bardock guessed was a Saiyan, has saved him at the very last second and sent him here to Earth Land on a very important mission. Aptly, the Saiyan Rebel proceeded on the only way he knew how by gathering as much information as possible. He also ran into a fun loving group of oddballs or 'fruitcakes' as he so named them. This group is known as Fairy Tail, the strongest wizard guild in the kingdom of Fiore, one of several nations (or countries if you prefer) on the Eastern most continent Ishgar.

In the span of a few weeks, Bardock has settled in nicely while also building a reputation for himself. His recent deeds include beating five Vulcans in under 30 seconds (a deed mainly known to those at Fairy Tail and the town of Magnolia), aiding in the destruction of the Dark Guild Eisenwald and singlehandedly defeating Lullaby, a demon from the Book of Zeref.

Of course, making an impact as big as he did was bound to get attention. And who might notice our warrior from another universe? The glorious geezers of the Magic Council! Although to be fair, not everyone on the council was the definition of old. Because as of now you had two of the younger members conversing about recent events following the meeting with the rest of their fellow councilman.

"Well that was entertaining. I've never seen the council so shaken up before. If the threat to their power was something, the mention of that man was entirely different." A feminine voice said.

Sitting behind a desk in a rather spacey office was a young man with blue hair, a red tattoo over his right eye, wearing a long sleeve button up shirt with an ornate design on the collar. His aura emanated one of dominance, cockiness and what most women in his presence would amount to suave. This young man was Councilman Siegrain, one of the Ten Wizard Saints and the 10th seat of the Magic Council.

"It matters not. Fairy Tail has once again done things in such a grand fashion and not only that, defeated an etherious created by The Black Wizard himself. The old farts will do all they can to save face." Siegrain said with a smirk.

Sitting across from him, wearing a shortened version of a kimono with purposely longer sleeves is a young, beautiful (she is drop dead sexy okay) woman with dark purple hair and red eyes that are close to crimson. This woman's name is Ultear Milkovich, 9th seat of the Magic Council and where her loyalties lie is clearly an unknown.

"Even so I'm rather curious myself. This man was a complete unknown until recently. And those abilities he showcased are nothing to scoff at either." Ultear stated with smile.

Siegrain let out a chuckle as a response. The man was the youngest member of the council, the youngest wizard saint and a very deadly politician as well as tactician. He had secrets among secrets and a plan that could very well change the world. For now he would simply bide his time and play his role to perfection.

"Is the interest in this 'Bardock' personal or professional Miss Milkovich?" The blue haired man said as he propped his chin on his interlaced fingers.

"Purely professional I assure you." Ultear waved off.

At this, Siegrain merely hummed and shrugged it off, turning around to view the scenery.

( _"Although… the council did give me the assignment to escort him personally. Maybe being alone with a man like him wouldn't be too bad."_ ) Ultear thought with a growing smile.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

 **Morning**

 **Magnolia**

 **Fairy Tail Guild hall**

Ah yes… the rambunctious guild known as Fairy Tail.

Fresh off of their victory, Fairy Tail's strongest team and Fairy Tail's resident Saiyan were welcomed home by thunderous applause and shouts of praise. Bardock somehow managed to not get mobbed by the crowd but did enjoy the rather generous offer of food that was served.

To everyone's shock and surprise, Bardock ate everything in sight and even beat Natsu in a food eating contest. It was almost as if the man was a bottomless pit. If they only knew the truth…

Anyways, sometime before the party ended, Natsu had made the announcement that he and Erza were going to have a fight one on one. Bardock had left after getting his fill of food so he wasn't there when the announcement had happened nor was he able to witness the chaos that broke out due to Cana willing to take all wagers and bets for the fight that would happen the very next day.

Once everything died down, Natsu with Happy by his side, escorted Lucy back to her apartment. Since they first met, Natsu and Lucy had been getting rather chummy of late, despite the fact the Fire breather had too much energy for her to handle at times. Still they couldn't deny they were becoming good friends despite all the craziness they experienced together. During the Everlue job, Natsu had even come to defend Lucy's beauty when the man with the ugliest mustache on the planet insulted her. After Lucy dealt Everlue the knockout blow, she rewarded Natsu with a hug and a thank you for backing her up to which his usual reply was the 'Dragneel grin'.

After a quick conversation and a good night, the trio separated to their respective homes for a night of rest before the next day came. Gray went home with barely any clothing and contemplated on recent events. The Ice mage never really knew what to make of Bardock. His initial observations like everyone else were 'intimidating', 'confident' and 'strong'. But he could never imagine how strong Bardock was without witnessing it in person. Once he did, Gray was thrilled to have him in the guild and for once actually thought of thanking his rival for bringing him here. He snorted at his own suggestion before going into a peaceful sleep.

The Redhead knight of Fairy Tail had very much enjoyed the festivities despite the gnawing feeling she and possibly the other members of her impromptu team might have to answer to the Council soon. Of course, Mira pulled her away from her negative thoughts with her favorite delicacy… Strawberry Cake! Erza had this overwhelming weakness for a lot of sweets, mainly Strawberry Cake due to the fact she grew up on the stuff (there are many theories of what sweets do to a young woman's body, Erza has more than proven it is no longer theory but fact… in a good way of course).

Other than indulging on her obsession of the greatest sweet in the world (in her opinion obviously), she conversed with her guild and recounted the events which unfolded when her and the team fought Eisenwald. Even after hearing firsthand accounts from Natsu, Happy, Lucy and Gray a great majority of the guild still had a hard time believing that the mystery man known as Bardock was simply that strong. He could have easily decimated Eisenwald's ranks by himself but showed great restraint by letting the rest of team have some fun. After enjoying some more cake and idle conversation, Erza made her way to Fairy Hills, the all female dormitory for Fairy Tail. That night, Titania couldn't help but let her mind wander on the many things that occupied it.

First was the fight she promised Natsu. She loved the young man like a brother, same as Gray. Erza had always seen herself as the big sister figure to both the rivals known as 'Fire and Ice', keeping them in line when their shenanigans got out of hand or destroyed her precious cake. As a role model and S-Class mage, Erza saw great potential for growth in both boys but had seen that Natsu had a higher potential of the two, him being a Dragon Slayer and all. But given Natsu's rambunctious and fiery nature, he would have a hard time harnessing that potential if he didn't train seriously enough. Erza shoved that thought to focus on what really bothered her somewhat.

It was the unknown warrior with a scar, unique armor and a stylish bandana that also occupied her thoughts. When she first met the man she was immediately put off by how standoffish he seemed. She didn't even hear much about him upon her return because her sole focus was on having the numbers to stop Eisenwald (yet she somehow hears about Lucy doing a mission with Natsu… weird). Despite not knowing or even trusting him, she let him participate in the battle to keep Eisenwald from killing innocent people. It paid off and she was immediately impressed by his skill and show of power nearly beating an entire Dark Guild by himself while also beating a demon that was one of Zeref's creations. However, she did have lingering doubts due to the man's… well with the shape Erigor was in following what everyone knew was an unfair fight, Erza was more or less on edge. To have enough power where you can punch off someone's limb? It couldn't have been normal magic.

Speaking of… what was Bardock's magic anyways? In her earlier conversations with the trio of Natsu, Happy and Lucy she discovered that Bardock, according to them, didn't use magic at all. To make things even more confusing, even he didn't know what to call it except 'his energy'. Not wanting to dwell more on the issue of the guild's newest member, she allowed herself to be taken into the dream world.

Going back to the resident Saiyan… Bardock decided to stop by the guild in the morning for more of Mira's awesome cooking (he couldn't help himself the night before due to his metabolism) and possibly finding himself a job to go on. Before he could do any of that, Makarov called him into his office for something akin to a mission debrief. Upon entering, the Saiyan Rebel couldn't help but pity the old master for the amount of paperwork he suffered through on a daily basis, especially with the council breathing down Fairy Tail's neck every waking moment.

The two men engaged in somewhat friendly conversation talking about the party, certain members of the guild and the Eisenwald incident. Without any warning, the friendly, relaxing atmosphere got tense once they both got down to business. Although Makarov was pleased with Bardock for backing up Erza and her team, he was a bit disturbed by what Bardock had done to Eisenwald's ace. Bardock didn't show a hint of regret, stating that Eisenwald was lucky he was holding back or the members of said Dark Guild would have ended up in the dirt six feet under. Makarov vehemently stressed that Light Guilds like Fairy Tail don't kill their enemies unless absolutely necessary to which Bardock replied "A Noble sentiment but stupid". Bardock then went on to lecture that he was a warrior and a former soldier, living by the age old rule of survival "Kill or Be Killed". Before exiting the office, Bardock stressed to Makarov that he would keep the brats of Fairy Tail safe by any means and if they mean anything to the elder Dreyar, the Saiyan would have the final say.

So now with everything said and done, Bardock was enjoying the many helpings of breakfast Mira could cook up for him.

"Damn…" Macao muttered.

Meanwhile, the rest of the guild stared in awe, disgust and rather sick fascination as someone other than Natsu cleaned out the kitchen. Bardock had become a literal vacuum for food since last night. Especially once everyone... repeat EVERYONE heard his stomach grumble. Hell, the man wasn't even embarrassed at all and just commented on how hungry he was. Many were worried that due to Bardock's Bad Boy-ish personality he would lack table manners and Mira might have to reprimand him. Even a bigger shock came when he had some manners in saying 'Please' or 'Thanks'.

"Where in the hell is he putting all that food?" Wakaba wondered aloud.

"Who knows? One thing is for sure though, that guy got better muscles than us." Macao replied as he scratched his goatee.

"No kiddin'…" Wakaba said before taking a puff of his cigar.

Nearby some were keeping count of the plates the Saiyan was going through. Murmurs broke out that he would break his own record from last night after beating Natsu. Meanwhile Mira had come back and bless her heart, had the most angelic smile on her face despite the fact she could be worked to the bone cooking for one of her new favorite patrons.

"Oh my! I guess we were hungry now weren't we?" She said with a giggle.

Bardock patted his now full stomach after he stood from the table. He let out a content sigh before helping Mira with the dishes.

"Thanks for the food Mira. I owe ya. Your cooking is pretty incredible." Bardock complimented.

After successfully getting all the dirty dishes to the sinks in the back, the two walked back out to the bar. She placed a hand on his right shoulder before giving it a good pat. While doing so, she noticed the man was built like granite. She envied how great a shape he could stay in even with all the food he ate.

"Well I'm glad you liked it! If you ever want more, don't hesitate to ask!"

He grunted and smirked at the offer. The Saiyan could obviously get used to Mira's heavenly cooking. Although he knew it wouldn't last long if he didn't start getting paid soon.

"I'll keep that in mind but you know I hunt for myself right?"

"Even so, if you ever want to eat here our doors are open."

To that, Bardock let out a short chuckle before taking a seat at the bar. He honestly could get used to this. This place reminded him a lot of home other than the fact this place was occupied by fruitcakes and weak excuses for enemies.

"Sure."

"Just one warning though."

Behind the serene smile that was Mirajane the angel… was the hidden, sinister smile of Mira the She-Devil. She may not be an active mage anymore but by god the sexy minx sure could send shivers down a man's spine… in both good and bad ways of course. However, Bardock was not phased when the bartender and waitress brought out her dark aura.

"Yeah?" Bardock prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"No sneaking food out of storage like Natsu. Otherwise there will be… consequences." Mira warned with the most sinister yet serene smile.

Although she could be counted within the growing number of fruitcakes he knew, Bardock thought very fondly of Mira. Sure, during his life the only people that treated him with true kindness or even great respect were Gine and his team, but to experience something of this level was refreshing. And even though she was subtly threatening him, he decided to go along and nod in understanding.

"Well, I'm off!" The white haired beauty chirped.

As she left, a mug of ale and a bottle of water was right in front of her Saiyan customer. Once he saw Mira run off, he turned his gaze towards his drinks. He let out a somewhat content sigh as he allowed himself to relax a little.

( _"Damn. She sure is something. Reminds me of someone I knew once."_ ) Bardock mused internally.

Of course the Bar-Maid had reminded Bardock of his true love and caring wife Gine. Of all the times he saw her, there was always that smile she had. And to boot she had a bubbly personality paired with an attitude that exuded someone that didn't take any mess. At first, she was just the perfect mate. A being who simply could carry Bardock's genes in order to further the survival and existence of the Saiyan race. But as time progressed, he saw Gine as something more. For so long Bardock was just a ruthless soldier who only cared about eating, sleeping and his team. When she entered the scene… things changed and possibly for the better. Don't get things twisted though. Bardock would still slaughter populations if ordered to but at the same time he had grown a heart. And the primary cause was the woman he could call his wife. Not a mere mate like all other Saiyans. Bardock could in good pride and joy say he found someone he was willing to spend his life with. And with some spark of happiness, Bardock could say each day that he had a home to go back to. Truth was Gine was all he ever needed… well her and his sons.

During Bardock's little trip down memory lane, someone got his attention by tapping him on his sleeve covered forearm. Letting out a curious hum and glancing to his right he took in the sight he saw.

"Hey there." A feminine voice greeted albeit flirtingly.

Sitting there with a sultry grin was Cana Alberona. As usual she wore capri jeans, black sandals and one of her many bikini tops. Today's order included a green and orange striped bikini top with blue strings. Bardock could tell the woman was attractive and was quickly deciphering if she was about to flirt with him or was trying to. Spend enough time with Fasha and you tend to read women well when it comes to flirting. He gave Tora hell when he couldn't tell she was into him. Fun times…

Speaking of fun, Cana with a grin still present, took a stool and hopped, literally hopped over next to Bardock. For some odd reason, the Saiyan couldn't help but wonder what the girl was thinking. He knew she was different from the other women of Fairy Tail he had come in contact with so far but he didn't know how different.

"Name's Cana. Don't think we've talked to each other yet handsome." Cana greeted as she stretched out a hand.

Yep. She was definitely going to flirt with him. If his heart weren't tied to another's he would think the whole thing over. His ego got a boost because after all the hell he had been through… he still got it!

"Bardock. If you haven't heard from the kid yet, I'm surprised. He loves to run his mouth among other things." The man said, giving a brief shake of her hand.

"Oh I know who you are. Everyone does." Cana said as she retracts her hand to steady the keg in her grasp.

To this statement, the warrior merely grunted and went back to drinking his ale. The stuff was nowhere near as good as the brew Saiyans cooked up but it had a great taste to it. Cana set her keg down and leaned over, propping her elbows on the bar and her head on her interlaced fingers. If anything she looked like a smitten schoolgirl.

"First you save Macao's crazy butt from some Vulcans, then you beat an entire dark guild almost singlehandedly and to top it all off you go blow away an entire league hall with a demon on top. Tell me something…"

As she trailed off, Fairy Tail's resident drunk got a little too close for comfort and whispered in the Saiyan Rebel's ear.

"Is that strength just for fighting or do you reserve it for 'other things' too?"

At the suggestive response, Bardock blinked several times before letting a low chuckle.

"Hey! What's so funny?" Cana playfully pouted.

The Saiyan took a sip of his ale before giving a response.

"Nothing. Just… you remind me of a good friend I used to know." He said with a smirk.

"Really?" She asked curiously.

To this he gave a simple nod and continued to smirk away.

"Yeah."

Bardock took another sip and Cana waited until the right moment to see what he meant. Fortunately or unfortunately, she got her response.

"That and if my wife were here, she'd kill both of us."

"What?! Why both of us?! And what do you mean wife?!" Cana shrieked.

Now this was just downright hilarious. It wasn't Bardock's first time at the rodeo and it sure wouldn't be the last. But he sure was getting a kick out of Cana's reaction to the fact he indeed was married. Even though some details were left out intentionally.

"You for flirting and me for going along with it. Oh yeah… I am married by the way." Bardock stated with a smirk still evident.

At this statement, a dark cloud hung over Cana has she groaned and whined at what she believed was a lost opportunity. Not only that, she was hoping not to face the wrath Bardock's betrothed. Said Saiyan had done this little dance before. Even when people knew of him and his family, there were Saiyan females willing to take their chances. And every time he would just shoot them down and warn them of how scary the mother of his sons was. This was never more true when Bardock had his squad over and they made a mess of his home. Gine may not have been a true Saiyan warrior but she could still strike fear in the hearts of even the strongest of men. In the end, Bardock learned his lesson that day… as the Earthling saying goes 'Happy Wife, Happy Life'.

"I'm kidding. My wife would actually like you." Bardock said before taking another sip of ale.

"Jerk." Cana said with a mock pout of anger.

At that response the rebel let out a short chuckle before turning his gaze downward. He stared at his reflection in his drink before several images of Gine popped in his mind. When the images came, he let slip something he was meaning to keep to himself.

"That is… if my wife were alive right now…"

And just like that the atmosphere soured. Cana was surprised to hear that Bardock was even married to begin with. But it was also shocking and disheartening to hear that Bardock's wife was no longer in the world of the living. Although she was hoping to learn more about the man, her subtle teasing and flirting (really not all that subtle) had unintentionally brought out a bad memory and unwanted heartache.

"Sorry…" Cana sincerely apologized.

"It's fine. I just hope wherever she is… she finds peace."

Bardock honestly didn't know whether or not his wife was alive or if she was off world when Frieza got paranoid and wiped out the Saiyans. He wanted to believe that she saw the betrayal coming like he did but that thought was squashed. Since he was able to settle down after coming to Earth Land, he played through all the possible scenarios and only two stood out: that Gine somehow survived thanks to his mysterious ally… or she died when Planet Vegeta was turned into space dust.

Deep down he held onto the first option even though he knew it would be easier just to believe the second. He never wanted to have false hope and after the experiences he went through as a soldier, the lesson stayed with him. Meanwhile, Cana had noticed the somewhat melancholic tone in Bardock's voice and the slightly pained look in his strong onyx eyes. Quite possibly the strongest man in Fairy Tail had also suffered heartbreak just like she did. She may not know the details of what happened in his life to make him suffer a loss like that but a part of her wanted to. After all, Bardock was a member of Fairy Tail. And being a member of Fairy Tail also means being a part of a family. So instead of wanting to be his lover, she would more than happily be his friend.

"Can I ask you something?" Cana prompted.

"Sure."

"When I'm not making bad decisions while drinking, could you tell me about yourself sometime?"

At first the Saiyan was taken aback by the request. Here he was in another universe, surrounded by what amounted to the strangest people he had ever met. Fairy Tail for sure was a bunch of fruitcakes and even so they did a lot of good for their kingdom. They were all strangers to him… or at least he thought so. In a short amount of time, he had earned a reputation amongst them and the citizens of the kingdom. In a short amount of time he had been able to say he could call these lovable oddballs comrades. Despite everything he went through before, Bardock even thought of, hoped mind you, that he would one day call them all… friends.

Sparing the brunette a glance, he saw her with a hopeful, much for cheerier smile than what she had before. Even though the flirtatious nature in her smile from before was genuine, the one sporting her lovely visage was just as much so. He offered her the smirk he sometimes sported on his hardened face and raised his mug as to toast to a new deal. One she would happily oblige to. Without wasting any time, the card user grabbed her own mug, already filled with liquor from her keg and raised next to Bardock's own mug filled with ale.

"You got a deal Miss Alberona."

Their mugs clanked, signaling a toast and an agreement. They both took a drink from their respective mugs before Cana let out a content sigh, feeling much better from her earlier slip up.

"Welp! I'm going to go swig this down before the fight!" Cana chirped as she stood up.

"Fight?" Bardock questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Cana gave him an incredulous look before she slapped her forehead in realization.

"Oh right! Guess you weren't here when the announcement was made."

She quickly recovered before setting her keg down next to nearby table. She placed her fists on her hips and gave a gleaming grin so typical of her.

"Natsu and Erza are having a friendly match outside the guild in an hour. And the bets are already lining up!" she exclaimed, clearly excited.

Bardock was already out of his seat and walked over in front of her. He crossed his arms and looked her dead in the eyes while she looked down at him with a grin still present.

"Don't know why you're so excited. Erza's going to win anyways." Bardock stated with a shrug.

"Oh I know! Not only will she win but she'll be making me a lot of money!"

"That's not what I meant. Her power is greater than Natsu's right now."

At this Cana could only let out a sigh. She then sat cross legged on the edge of the table as she leaned back on her hands.

"Everyone knows that. I just doubt he knows it for his own good. One of these days that fire breathing idiot is going to get hurt picking fights he knows he can't win." Cana said somewhat tiredly.

"Then maybe he should train more." Bardock said in response.

"What like you?" Cana prompted with a raised brow.

To this the Saiyan merely let out a chuckle. It was awfully humorous to think that a Dragon Slayer could withstand the punishment Bardock put himself through. Even with the enhanced strength and reflexes, Natsu wasn't up to the durability of a Saiyan. Saiyans were a warrior race whose bodies were made to be downright tanks with enough speed and agility to rival that of the fastest vehicles as well as land animals. In short, if Natsu wanted to be strong he needed to work for it but in no way would he reach Bardock's level. And there's no way Natsu would last a day doing the training regimen Bardock put himself through. If the pink haired teen could do it then Bardock would be rather impressed with the boy's willpower.

"Nah. My workouts would be hell to anyone, including him." Bardock stated with a smirk.

"Damn. That tough huh?" Cana chuckled out.

He chuckled again as he walked past her towards the door. He stopped halfway before glancing over his shoulder ending the banter with one last statement before leaving.

"You have no idea."

* * *

 **1 Hour Later**

The Saiyan Rebel had decided to do a quick workout to burn off some of his meal before deciding to head back and watch the fight. Also in the time he was training he had worked on his Ki sensing abilities as well as Ki suppression skills as well. The Saiyan Rebel had a keen tactical mindset when it came to dealing with opponents whether it be with overwhelming force or simply outsmarting them. He quickly figured that factoring in his overall Ki abilities would play a role in his mission.

Bardock was also working on additional Ki related abilities he had learned simply through his dreams and visions. His son and his son's allies were quite resourceful while also having the increasing potential for growth in many areas. They had a chance against Nappa and Vegeta. Albeit it was a small chance but a chance nonetheless. So Bardock pressed on incorporating some moves while dismissing others. The Saiyan would do a test run on these new moves on his first job to test their effectiveness.

That first job would come after he sees this fight the whole guild was interested in. In honest he thought it would be good to watch and gauge the potential of the people he was going to be working with for the foreseeable future. He knew the whole guild wouldn't last against him if they all came out at him whether it be together or in waves, but he was going to humor himself and see what they were capable of. Fairy Tail's strongest team didn't disappoint him when they stopped Eisenwald but they didn't impress him either. The fruitcakes that were possibly Fairy Tail's best assembled team couldn't exactly live up to the name on their first assignment together. To be fair, Bardock could take some of the blame for the fact he stole their thunder in certain aspects. He beat Erigor, destroyed the demon, or etherious as they were known as, called Lullaby and could have easily defeated the entire Eisenwald guild on his own.

The press had been running with similar thoughts to the Saiyan's own. The press and the citizens commended Natsu and the others for their efforts but a slight majority that was turning into an overwhelming majority of credit going towards Fairy Tail's newest member. He prioritized staying out of the spotlight so he wouldn't make himself an easy target. If these mysterious enemies were as strong and if not stronger than he was, the press wasn't helping him one bit by doing all the bragging he disciplined himself to never do (although if he were in a good fight he would enjoy it because after all it's in his blood). In short… Bardock hates the spotlight and he has no need for fame because it just attracts the enemy.

With the fight fast approaching, Bardock decided to seek out familiar faces and walk the rest of the way back to the guild. Although flying didn't take away huge amounts of energy from him, he was aiming for a distraction or someone to strike conversation with. Which is why he found himself walking between Lucy and Gray at the moment.

Lucy was a sweet girl, a bit naïve too. She had her annoying habits too but she had a kind heart. Bardock could tell from day one since they met the Celestial Mage was hiding something. Whether or not her secrets and background were going to be a pain to deal with later was to be determined. In terms of magic power or power in general, she was the weakest link and he could easily tell the girl had self-esteem issues primarily in that regard. He noticed it when he tagged along to rescue Macao and definitely could tell when he beat both Erigor and Lullaby not too long ago. If she wanted to be the best wizard possible and impress that fire breather she started to get attached to, she was going to have to work her ass off or get thrown to the wolves.

Gray was different or as different as he could be given what Bardock had seen. The boy's clothes magically disappeared at random only to be briefly explained as a stripping habit he picked up from his teacher. Speaking of, in the brief conversations when Gray's teacher was brought up, there was the noticeable flash of sadness in the Ice wizard's eyes. Most didn't see it but Bardock did. Other than an unspoken past, Gray was always one to maintain a cool demeanor but also show his friendly side as well. But his calm and coolness went out of the window whenever Natsu was around to aggravate him. If he could be easily provoked by a rival, who is to say that an enemy can't easily provoke him as well. Bardock was well known for his temper as well as his energy but since coming here, he'd got a good handle on it. If only Tora and the others could see him now…

The trio was only several minutes away from the guild and they had walked in comfortable silence since Bardock met up with the blonde and raven haired teens. Lucy knew Bardock was a good man but she rarely had a chance to strike up a good conversation with him. Gray didn't feel like possibly getting on the wrong side of a man who could rival the master or Fairy Tail's Ace while also carrying the same type of authority as Erza. After all, Bardock could have handled the Eisenwald incident by himself and the scary part was the man was still holding back.

"So Bardock?" Lucy prompted, breaking the silence.

"Hm?"

"Who do you think is going to win? I know Natsu and Erza are both strong but from what I've heard-"

"Erza." The Saiyan stated bluntly.

The Saiyan Rebel strode tall not even bothering to take in the reactions of his companions. Lucy let out a nervous chuckle at his immediate response, simply because she thought the man would believe in Natsu more. Gray on the other hand just sniggered because although he was friends with the Dragon Slayer, they were rivals first and he always enjoyed seeing the fight happy boy get knocked down a few pegs.

"You too huh? I just think that moron loves a beating. And today it's gonna be a violent, quick beating." Gray smugly said with a lopsided smirk.

"No, you're wrong about that. That's not why he wants this fight, from where I can see at least. In some ways he's like me." Bardock answered without hesistation.

"How so? You're clearly smarter than he is and stronger. So how in the world do you think he's like you?" Gray inquired with a slight frown.

Lucy tilted her head slightly, thinking along somewhat similar lines. Her mind of course was deducing what Bardock had meant. She had somewhat of a clue to what Bardock meant but she wanted to see what his reasoning was.

"Like me, the kid loves the idea of a good fight. Him being a Dragon Slayer means, that he learns from battle to battle in order to improve. However…"

The two stared inquisitively at the warrior, waiting a few seconds in slight anticipation. If they could take away anything from the conversation, they were steadily learning more about their newest member, but Lucy had an advantage in that department due to her, Natsu and Happy learning a bit of Bardock's origin story. Plus it was an insight into the man's wisdom as a warrior which could benefit them both down the line in case a dark guild reared its ugly head again.

"Natsu still lacks the necessary tools to make him a better fighter and an even better warrior."

"Which is?" The Ice mage pushed with a raised brow.

"Training, Discipline, and a Killer Instinct. Natsu just doesn't have the necessary foundation to maintain the growth he needs to exploit all his hidden potential as a Dragon Slayer." The Rebel explained.

"Killer Instinct?" Gray questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Hidden potential…?" Lucy murmured to herself.

To this, the spikey haired man simply nodded. These were young, innocent teenagers who used abilities that were tiers below Ki. He honestly shouldn't be telling them this stuff. They were young people who used their magic to help the common people. He used his power to help slaughter whole populations on alien planets and not bat a damn eyelash. But they hadn't seen what he'd seen nor witness what he witnessed. He was slowly giving them the necessary wakeup call on how the world really works. An insight into the age old mentality of 'kill or be killed'.

"You see, there are going to be threats out there that are way too dangerous for you guys to just imprison or let live to kill you another day. There are threats that are going to do whatever it takes to win a battle or even a war with minimal effort. Although I highly doubt that many of your enemies are smart enough to want to do that." Bardock added.

"And who exactly are 'our' enemies?" Gray asked, sparing the Saiyan a glance.

"Dark guilds and enemies from other lands to be precise you strip happy freak." Bardock retorted with some amusement.

In short amount of time she had known him, Lucy never thought Bardock was capable of making fun of someone, let alone with a straight face. If she could guess, he was hiding a smirk underneath that scowl painted on his visage. His jab at Gray got her to giggle while the raven haired teen looked offended and sputtered a response. Bardock simply went on and finished his explanation.

"Anyways, the point is Natsu can be a lot stronger than anyone here if he's willing to put the work in. It's just a matter of if he takes protecting his precious family seriously enough. If he's not willing to do whatever it takes in order to save lives then he won't last long as a wizard and will likely die. Simple as that."

And like that silence hung over the trio. The entire conversation went from a somewhat lighthearted to serious. Lucy was honestly starting to feel skittish at what the entire explanation meant for her and everyone at Fairy Tail. Was it really going to end up being like this? She heard of Fairy Tail's reputation of being in the most crazy situations possible and she found herself in one even before becoming a member. Back in Hargeon, she remembered all too well what Bora and his cronies were trying to accomplish with her and those other girls. Fiore wasn't the perfect kingdom nor was it the best land to be in. However, she had studied and learned about the neighboring lands and the other continents and when it came down to it, Lucy counted her lucky stars for being in the situation she was in. The Kingdom of Fiore was her home and she was more than thankful for the fact that there was an overwhelming amount of good people out there that outnumbered the bad. And some of those good people were her very own guild mates.

Gray was thinking of something different. He honestly, questioned what Bardock had been through to see things the way he did. The Ice mage knew that the man was a warrior and undoubtedly a cunning tactician. This was someone he could learn a thing or two from. Gray lived a simple life since the two most tragic days of his life. Being a part of Fairy Tail meant finding a new home and a new family to call his own. But something deep in the raven haired teen's mind told him that just doing his everyday routine wasn't enough. He needed to learn how to defend his family and survive the harsh realities that sometimes hit with wanton authority. And if anyone could teach him how to be a better fighter… a better protector… it would be Fairy Tail's newest member, who was in the running for the strongest person in the guild.

Several minutes had passed and the trio was now approaching the guild hall. In front of the majestic building that housed the most rambunctious guild in the kingdom was a large crowd, mainly made up of every single member of the guild plus some civilian onlookers. As they made their way through the crowd they were greeted by a group of familiar faces. There was Mira, Elfman, Happy, Cana and all of Team Shadow Gear, waiting for the fight to start with some interest and eagerness. At the sound of footsteps, the Barmaid turned around and beamed her angelic smile.

"Hello Everyone!" Mira greeted brightly.

"Hey Mira! You here to see the fight too?" Lucy greeted back with her own smile.

"Just curious as all. By the way, what's with the looks guys? Did I miss something?" The angelic demon asked with a cute tilt of her head.

The Saiyan Rebel led the other two mages to an open spot that perfectly situated them right behind one of the combatants… Erza Scarlet, The Fairy Queen herself. Bardock took note that she had an aura of confidence and determination, even if this was just a measly exhibition match. Bardock stood in the middle with his arms crossed, Lucy to his right standing next to Mira and Gray, hands in his pockets standing next to Team Shadow Gear.

"Not really." Bardock grunted out.

"Bardock was talking about how Flame Brain could be much stronger than any of us here if he quit being lazy and actually decided to work hard." Gray answered with a side glance.

"I could go with how manly you and Natsu are but I draw the line at strong. Because if you want to know who's one of the strongest in Fairy Tail-" Elfman said before being cutoff.

"It ain't you trust me." Bardock stated as if it were a fact.

The big guy couldn't help but deflate at the bluntness. Plus to make things worse, the statement was true. Mira just chuckled and rubbed her brother's back out of comfort while Lucy gave a nervous laugh. It was at that moment everyone's favorite blue fur ball decided to make himself known. He walked closer from Elfman's side to stand between Lucy and Bardock.

"If anyone should be considered for strongest in Fairy Tail I put my money on you Bardock." Happy chimed in.

"Not really interested in the title but thanks." The Saiyan nodded in response.

"Are you kidding me? If anyone could be considered for strongest in Fairy Tail it'd be Laxus or Mystogan." Jet said giving his opinion.

"Don't forget the old man too." Droy adding his two cents on the topic.

Laxus? Mystogan? Apparently he was kept out of the loop when it came to big time names within the guild. He knew the old man was strong, leagues above most of the members. Then he heard murmurs of the guild's supposed ace, who apparently could match if not be somewhat stronger than the old man. It didn't tell him much given he could outmatch everyone max power and win in seconds but still the information was somewhat useful. He hoped this ace was still training to get stronger, it would be fruitful for future events in case things went to the scale of apocalyptic.

"I don't know boys. Erza is definitely the strongest woman in the guild." Levy told her teammates.

Then the lovely bookworm turned her head slightly, warm eyes settling on a certain soldier.

"And from what I heard, I think our new friend over here is pretty strong too. Right Bardock?" Levy stated with a friendly wink.

The Saiyan let out a chuckle at the compliment. In the short time he had been at Fairy Tail, he found Levy's knowledge and book smarts pretty much invaluable. The amount of information stored in Levy's brain could be equated to the archives he stumbled upon sometimes when not on missions. Plus, she grew on the guy. She was the full package in what a young man would want in a woman. And he indeed did say that she would make some guy a very lucky man one day. Their relationship blossomed as he was a mentor and parental type figure to her while she was the duckling under his wing.

"Yeah. Thanks Levy." Bardock replied with a smirk.

Now, the downside of having such a good relationship with the bluenette were her obsessive bodyguards Jet and Droy. Levy had confided in Bardock how much she had come to trust them and regarded their adoration for her nothing more than puppy love. True, she did get annoyed when their antics got out of hand but she knew they meant well. So after the friendly back and forth concluded, Jet and Droy sent their best glares towards the Saiyan Rebel, who shrugged it off.

Back to the makeshift fighting ring…

Natsu and Erza stood face to face at a good distance. The Dragon Slayer didn't even notice that the rest of their team plus some other notable members were standing behind his opponent. He was going all in on this fight and he didn't need to turn his attention away from his goal.

The pink haired teen traded banter with his scarlet haired opponent before getting into a stance. Erza on the other hand decided to mix things up and call upon one of her armors that was best suited for the occasion. A brief shine of light momentarily blinded everyone and when the light died down, most were rather shocked at what they saw.

Standing tall and glowing like the sun, Erza was wearing armor that was dark red predominantly, but also sported orange and black parts, with the first ones being shaped like flames and the second resembling Dragon's limbs. It was basically made up of three different parts: the revealing breastplate with Dragon like wings attached to it, the orange gauntlets and the Dragon claw shaped greaves. Not only that, Erza's hair was tied into a pair of high, long pigtails. This flashy but effective Ensemble was her Flame Empress Armor, an armor made to deal with all magic that was fire based.

"Oh man!"

"It's her Flame Empress Armor!"

"Not a good sight for Natsu!"

Said Fire breather paid no heed to the supposed seeds of doubt that were spreading amongst the crowd. He had all the confidence in the world to fight the opponent before him and he wouldn't stop until he won. Sure it was an exhibition against someone he considered like his sister but still he wasn't going to back down. Natsu wanted so desperately to prove himself time and time again and would not stop until he was satisfied. He had high goals for himself both as a mage and as a person. But both goals mixed so well that at some point Natsu hit the button in his life that simply said 'Fuck it'. Natsu wanted to be an S-Class, defeat all the strongest members of his guild (and any guild in general), go on a century quest like his idol Gildarts, reunite with his dragon daddy Igneel and… one day settle down with that special someone. Little did Natsu know, fate was more than happy to grant that last one but only in due time.

So while Natsu was shaking in his sandals in excitement with that 'Dragneel Grin' of his, Happy stood tall and serious with his paws clenched tight making fists. Bardock somehow found it odd how the loveable fur ball had that look on his face. In some odd fashion it made Bardock proud that Happy could sport a 'war face' better than the other guild members. In even odder fashion, Bardock couldn't for the life of him figure out when in the hell he found the fish loving feline loveable. This guild was rubbing off on him and in a good way. Of course the Saiyan drew the line at where the influence turned into insanity. He vowed never to be like the oddballs he surrounded himself with due to how much insanity one could take.

Anyways, Happy strode over to where Cana was and said…

"I'd like to put my money on Erza."

"Wise choice my furry friend!" Cana exclaimed with her usual gusto.

"That traitor!" Lucy yelled in comical shock, pointing a finger.

It really wasn't too surprising to be honest. When it's all fun and games, Happy is truly the life of the party. Bardock saw this coming and just turned his attention back to the fight.

"I haven't gambled much in my life but I will say he's a smart man or cat in this case." Bardock said.

"I'd just stay out of this and wish them both the best." Lucy sighed out.

"You're even more innocent than I thought." Gray commented with a side glance.

Before she could respond, Lucy's cheeks were turning slightly pink as if she were embarrassed about something or saying something she wouldn't normally say. With half lidded eyes, the celestial mage turned her attention away from her two male companions, hoping they wouldn't question her on what she would say next.

"Well I wouldn't bet money but the truth is… I'm cheering a little more for Natsu." Lucy uttered loud enough for only a few people to hear her.

Bardock's eyes shifted over while his stern visage remained, as if to make sure he heard her right. He already knew that the both Natsu and Lucy were close but this was the first sign he had seen where she was displaying anything in terms of affection. It wasn't his business and he didn't really care much but it did make him nostalgic seeing the teenage runaway display her feelings for her teammate.

Gray who was oblivious to the fact that Lucy was developing a crush on his rival, looked at her as if she had two heads on her shoulders. Mira hummed a happy tune as she was already playing matchmaker in her head. The barmaid figured that Lucy and Natsu could use a good push when the opportunity presented itself. She also figured to sit back and observe to see how the chains of love developed between her longtime friend and new best friend. Lastly, Levy caught wind of Lucy's words and recoiled a bit before her usual smile widened a little. Her fellow bookworm had a crush on Natsu Dragneel! Like Mira, she planned on making sure to give the two mages a push in the right direction hoping that Natsu's dense nature wouldn't make things end in disaster.

Lucy was going to turn her attention to the fight but couldn't help but be nervous by the reactions of her friends once she got a good look.

"What?" Lucy asked glancing around.

"Begin!" Makarov exclaimed with a drop of the hand.

And they were off!

Natsu shot forward with flame covered fists hoping to connect with a few jabs to the body. Erza dodged each attempted punch with side steps before summoning her sword. Titania aimed a non-lethal blow with her sword against Natsu's torso only for him to perform a limbo move and counter with a kick. Said kick was then caught by Erza's armored forearm. She then gave her own counter, finally connecting a hit against Natsu with a solid blow using the hilt of her sword.

The force of the blow sent the Dragon Slayer off skidding to the side before he regained his stance. Not deterred in the slightest, Natsu ignited his feet this time as well as his hands before launching himself into the air with a leap. Erza covered her own swords in flames, leaping up and deciding on meeting her friend halfway.

( _"I figured as much. She has several different armors to call on. On top of that she has many weapons stored in her 'Requip Space'."_ )

Bardock simply stood by analyzing the fight and the two fighters. He already surmised how strong the two were and how much potential both had if they properly utilized. This was just another demonstration for the Saiyan Rebel to file away. Crowd noise and the comments of the people standing around him were tuned out as he focused primarily on his own thoughts.

( _"This armor must guard against fire based attacks. Effective as long the opponent is below or at her level of power. This means she has similar armors in her arsenal, each guarding against a specific element or magic type. Which could also mean she has armors that specialize in certain areas of combat."_ )

Neither of the combatants were showing clear signs of fatigue, despite the number of blows each got in on the other. Natsu's blows were precise but he was taking more than he was dishing out. It was a testament to his will and durability that allowed him to keep up with one of Fairy Tail's best.

( _"If Natsu were much stronger than her, they could be dead even with her armor being a factor. That wouldn't be the case without it though… in theory."_ )

For every attack a counter… For each counter a retaliation… this was what fighting was about when it wasn't life and death. This was a good ol' fight Fairy Tail style. Although neither fighter was smiling, everyone could feel their excitement and their joy in this moment. For Bardock, he let his gaze hone in on the salmon haired teen and process all his thoughts before asking himself…

( _"Which begs the question… how far can he go?"_ )

*Gong!*

The sound of a large gong being struck brought Bardock out of his thoughts. Not only that, the boisterous crowd was now brought to small whispers instead of loud cheers.

"This fight is now over."

Stepping forward with a small squad of Rune Knights was frog like humanoid wearing robes. This frog person also wore a strange hat and bore the symbol of an organization that very much disliked Fairy Tail. That little detail did not go unnoticed at all by the crowd.

"Hey isn't he with…"

"The Magic Council is here?"

"No way…"

The messenger of the Magic Council walked forward with two guards flanking his sides. He came to a stop at the left side of Erza, who turned her body more in order to properly address the person more if her suspicions were correct.

Bardock had a clue as to why the council was here and once again tuned out the useless chatter so he could focus on his objective. Plus in his previous line of work, the man had seen many things and not all of them were pretty. On the bright side, the frog wasn't the ugliest being he had met in his lifetime. That honor belonged to Dodoria.

"Are you Erza Scarlet?" The Messenger prompted.

To this the Scarlet haired wizard gave a nod. Satisfied with the confirmation, the messenger opened a scroll containing what appeared to be a court order. Bardock knew he was going to have to step in at some point, so he opted to wait.

"By order of the Magic Council, the S-Class mage known as Erza Scarlet is under arrest pending her current charges and will be facing a trial for her recent actions." The messenger decreed.

The Fairy Queen could only recoil slightly in shock and surprise. For her part she knew the Council would drop the hammer down on Fairy Tail for the guild's recent escapades. But she didn't think it would come so soon and especially during her fight with Natsu.

Shock, confusion and downright horror were the reactions of most of the crowd including Lucy, Gray, Mira, Levy and even Cana. Natsu on the other hand…

"Say what?!"

Was more than enraged at this… which meant in order to prevent chaos from breaking out courtesy of the resident hothead, the Lost Warrior finally made his move.

Phasing out of existence between Lucy and Gray, subsequently shocking both at the sudden move, Bardock decided on the direct approach to this stick situation. He phased back in right in front of the messenger, scaring him and the guards who were with him. Erza recoiled again this time at the sudden appearance of the scarred face Saiyan. Natsu momentarily forgot his rage as his brain attempted a reboot trying to see where this whole thing was going. Everyone else in the crowd stared dumbfounded at the fact they saw one of their newest members pulling off a disappearing act and reappearing so suddenly.

"Tell me something frog man…"

Bardock's words rang clear through the people who were closest. His intimidating frame towered over the frog creature/person as he took a few steps forward, standing at full height and leveling the unfortunate messenger with fiery glare. All the messenger could do was shake uncontrollably while the guards were terrified stiff.

"What exactly are these charges?" Bardock asked with an edge in his tone.

"The charges will be discussed when she meets with the rest of the council."

A new voice broke Bardock's attention and he lifted his head to level his gaze on what he planned on being his next victim if necessary. Bardock's time as a soldier taught him to be ready for anything. You get ambushed? Fight your way out. Full moon out? Be ready to maximize the carnage in your Great Ape Form. Aiming to give a better future for your youngest son? Send him away while you aim to save your race from genocide. Get sent to another universe? Improvise like all the other times.

So when Bardock redirected his eyes from the messenger to the source of this new voice, he was a bit surprised but hid it well. Standing there with a squad of Rune Knights behind her along with four carriages was a dark purple haired female that looked roughly late teens or early twenties. She wore a shortened, lavender kimono with a black sash that showed off most of her legs… those creamy, sexy legs. The sleeves that covered her arms were purposely longer than they needed to be, so there's that. Another thing to note was the fact the young woman held a crystal orb with both of her non-visible hands close to her stomach. To compliment the entire ensemble, the young woman wore a white headband in her hair, which was tied into a loose ponytail.

If her overall appearance didn't throw him for a loop, the smile she was giving him sure did. The way she smiled felt off and even her aura felt off. This woman was like a VIP and on top of that she had power. Not enough to really be a danger to him but enough to see she was a threat if things broke down.

"Who the hell are you?" Bardock asked as he narrowed his eyes.

The woman strode forward ignoring whatever reactions she was drawing out of the crowd. Makarov had hearts shooting out of his eyes while a small trail of bloody snot hung from his nose… perverted SOB. Macao and Wakaba weren't fairing any better as both were howling and whistling like idiots. Ultear's alluring appearance had bewitched most men and youth in the crowd, hell even some women found Ultear's sexiness appealing to the eyes. Lucy, Mira, Levy and Erza eyed the female newcomer in pure curiosity as to who she was and where they had seen her before. Gray on the other hand studied her appearance due to the fact from deep in his subconscious he knew someone that very much resembled her. But how was that possible? At this point it was anyone's guess.

At this point the crowd watched with eagerness, anticipation and anxiety as the woman came, literally within a foot of Bardock. Right away she quickly eyed him up before giving him her most charming smile. The Saiyan could tell she liked what she saw. Again, a boost to his pride knowing women could find any bit of him attractive despite the fact he was a brutal bastard and had this roguish personality that made the opposite sex quiver. Fasha and Tora did joke that had he not met Gine, he would have become a great lady killer as much as he was a career soldier.

"Forgive me for the lack of a proper introduction handsome." The woman purred.

Bardock was once again spot on in his assessment that this woman clearly found him attractive. Not only that, she seemed to act flirty in order to get him around her pretty little fingers. Although flattered, her feminine wiles wouldn't work.

"My name is Ultear Milkovich, 9th Seat of the Magic Council." Ultear greeted with a slight bow.

Ah. So that's who she was. Ideas and theories were already forming in his head as to why she was here and why the Council would send one of their own to find him. And as soon as all the questions hit, most of them he answered in his head already. Meanwhile many of the guild members who heard her greeting immediately paled. The Council doesn't do social calls, let alone send one of their seated members to fetch persons of interest. Due to the fact one of them would talk to Bardock personally was an even bigger shock. A relative newcomer doesn't get this much attention.

"And other than Erza Scarlet, I've come here to escort you personally Bardock. The Council has taken great interest in you and your abilities. Your feats against Eisenwald and Lullaby have given them enough reason to at least have an audience with you." Ultear explained diplomatically.

Erza changed back to her regular armor and walked to stand by Bardock. Said Saiyan crossed his arms and posed the one question no one should ever ask in this situation.

"And if I refuse?"

Erza spared her fellow guild member a glance with a hidden message. Bardock was aware of what the redhead was trying to convey and jotted it down with shit he already knew. He had the situation handled… or as handled as possible. Ultear frowned at the obvious response.

"Well… if you won't come along then the charges against Miss Scarlet will only be more severe. As will yours." Ultear said in all seriousness.

So now he had charges too? Typical politicians. The ball was now in his court as the saying goes. Something in his gut told him the Council simply wanted answers while giving Fairy Tail a slap on the wrist. While another part of him was saying someone on the Council or maybe most of the Council in general wanted to screw him and Fairy Tail over. His leftover paranoia following the fallout with Frieza and Frieza's army had made him wary of most authority figures. This was no different.

Bardock tilted his head forward and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly analyzing the situation. He hadn't been arrested his entire life up until now. Sure he had been reprimanded by superiors on the rare occasion of misconduct and even been captured by the enemy (sometimes as a ruse for infiltration and other times for being careless). He had to tread carefully, because even though he was essentially the alpha dog when it came to power, power doesn't mean a thing when you're in prison. However, he was confident no prison could hold him and he was absolutely sure he wouldn't stay locked up for the sake of his mission. There was too much at stake.

The Saiyan Rebel opened his eyes and took a glance over to Erza, seeing her keep a calm composure. There was a hint of worry behind her brown eyes but he felt as though it was misplaced. Then he shifted his gaze to the lovely Ultear who was waiting patiently for his final answer. He had thoroughly planned out what to say when asked certain questions. He couldn't give too much away but he also couldn't outright tell the Council everything. If it came down to it, he'd bust himself out and keep Fairy Tail out of the way as much as possible.

"Why not. Let's get this over with." Bardock decided with a shrug.

"Whoa what?!"

Natsu was at Bardock's side in an instant. And from what many could tell, the young man was visibly frustrated and angered. No one could blame him for feeling this way given the Council's history with Fairy Tail.

"Bardock you can't be serious?! You and Erza don't have to take this crap lying down!" Natsu shouted.

Bardock hadn't lookws Natsu's way yet as he was still keeping his gaze trained on Ultear who seemed to be enjoying the attention. She allowed a sly smirk to play on her face as she found the warrior's hardened eyes charming in a sense. Deciding to give his first companion of this weird world an answer, the Saiyan cocked an eyebrow and turned his head to look at Natsu directly.

"Who said I was?"

That obviously threw Natsu for a loop and his moment of frustration was replaced by confusion. Bardock… the guy who was undoubtedly the baddest man in all of Earth Land wanted to get arrested? It broke whatever logic ever existed in the Dragon Slayer's brain. Bardock simply ignored Natsu's mental (and somewhat philosophical dilemma) and turned his eyes back to the Councilwoman.

"Look it's probably nothing serious. Might as well see what these old bastards want with me anyways. It's not like I got anything better to do other than train my ass off." Bardock explained.

"But-"

As soon as the word left Natsu's mouth, Bardock's snapped back over and leveled Natsu with a glare. Unlike the glares Erza gave the others, this one was different. When Erza levels a glare it's more akin to that of a mother or big sister scolding their family for their reckless antics. When Bardock levels a glare… it's the equivalent of a commander addressing his subordinate. The Saiyan's glare may have not had any royalty to it but to the others observing the exchange it felt like it. And to top it off, Bardock seemed a bit angered at the unnecessary attempt at help he didn't need. Makarov gulped, nervous as he felt the commanding aura of the veteran warrior leak a bit.

"No buts kid. Stay out of this. Understood?" The Saiyan commanded as he narrowed his eyes.

The fire breather lowered his head and all tension left his body. After having a good fight interrupted, having to deal with this left him with a bad taste in his mouth. Worse off, Bardock pacified him so easily and it hurt him. He knew Bardock trusted him but he felt like he could do more for a man who was quickly becoming a mentor. Natsu was not a big fan of the council and he didn't shy away from saying so. But deep down, Natsu knew he had to play by the rules so his friends wouldn't get hurt. So for now he backed down.

"Aye…" Natsu muttered in response.

To everyone in Fairy Tail this was surprising and shocking. Adding on to that it was somewhat disheartening. Everyone knew of Natsu's good hearted nature to go out and help a friend or even a civilian. He was always the best example of those who follow their hearts, damned the consequences. Sure they got onto him for his reckless behavior at times but they never held it against him. So imagine how they feel when one of the newer recruits pacify Natsu and not like how Erza does it. When she pacifies her longtime friend, it is out of concern and safety. When Bardock did it just now, it was more along the lines of threatening and a need to do things his way or face his wrath.

"Good." Bardock grunted.

Natsu walked over to the crowd and stood next to Lucy. She offered a comforting rub on his back to which he accepted without any visible response. Bardock gave a curt nod to Ultear letting her know he was ready.

"Excellent. Follow me please." The Councilwoman said.

A group of soldiers came to Erza and immediately placed magic sealing cuffs on her wrists. There was no sign of malice or ill-intent from the men; they simply carried on respectfully as they were doing their job. Before entering one of the carriages, Titania sent an assuring smile towards the members of her team which most of them returned with the exclusion of Natsu. Not seeing her little brother smile back made her a bit sad. She would make a note later to bring it up with Bardock later.

Bardock approached the other carriage with Ultear and some Rune Knights behind him. One knight standing in front of the opening to a carriage was shaking as he nervously placed magic sealing cuffs on Bardock who only looked on with a hidden message that said 'Really?'. Ultear clearly got that message wrong and approached the Saiyan Rebel to ease what perceived was some fear.

"Just a security precaution to make the old farts feel safer. Rest assured, I-"

"Don't worry about it." Bardock interrupted.

Ultear was slightly taken aback and looked at the warrior, studying him. Now she realized she misjudged his 'predicament' and was willing to press on to avoid addressing her blunded. But to be safe…

"Are you sure?" Ultear prompted.

"Tch. Yeah." Bardock scoffed in response.

To this Ultear let out a chuckle as Bardock boarded his assigned carriage with zero issue. The voluptuous Councilwoman then motioned for the soldiers to go to their assigned carriages. One squad was assigned was designated to the lead carriage. One was assigned to security detail guarding Erza. Another squad was assigned as rear guard with another carriage. Confusingly, one leftover squad had simply assigned drivers to Bardock's carriage while the rest could go back to HQ on horseback. The purple haired mage turned her attention briefly to the crowd and Fairy Tail in general.

"Thank you for cooperation." Ultear said with a short bow.

After that she got inside Bardock's carriage and the escort left without a hitch. Unbeknownst to Fairy Tail and Bardock in particular, a mastermind was already making moves behind the scenes. The first of Bardock's new enemies would be coming sooner than anticipated.

* * *

 **A/N: Not too much action in this chapter. That won't come until a few chapters later. My main focus is on character interaction until the Galuna Arc.**

 **So Bardock is going to meet with the Council. Both will get first impressions of each other and let's just say... it will be interesting. Although I like Jellal becoming a good guy later, him as a bad guy I liked too. Which is why when Bardock gets into the same room as him, things will get heated. Also as far as I'm concerned, if I didn't pre-determine pairings, Ultear would have had a shot with Bardock. But I will have fun messing with the dynamic between the two in this story regardless.**

 **Bardock is building a bond with Fairy Tail. Will it be personal? Or will it be strictly professional? I know for a fact things will get complicated between Bardock and his new allies come The Phantom War. In addition to that, Team Natsu will get to learn something new that gives them new perspective during the Galuna Arc.**

 **After this and the next two chapters, there will be an original chapter leading into the Galuna Island Arc. I said previously that I wouldn't feature DBZ villains until Tower of Heaven but I changed my mind. I won't reveal who it is yet but you will get hints during the Original Chapter I have planned. For Hardcore fans it's a true blast from the past. I'll leave it at that.**

 **Bardock's Move set:**

 **Full Power Energy Wave**

 **Riot Javelin**

 **Power Ball**

 **Final Revenger**

 **Super Energy Wave Volley**

 **Rebellion Spear**

 **Vortex Crusher**

 **Spirit of Saiyans (In Progress)**

 **Explosive Wave**

 **Kiai (Technically New)**

 **Meteor Combination (Technically New)**

 **Great Ape [Transformation]**

 **Kamehameha (In Progress)**

 **Solar Flare (In Progress)**

 **So there's Bardock's moves up until now. Believe me when I say he'll have more before the story is done and that is a long ways away. As always leave a comment or criticism at your leisure. I thank all of you for following, reading or viewing the story. You guys rock!**

 **See Ya Later!**


	11. Meeting the Magic Council

**A/N: Here's Johnny! Kidding guys. Lol**

 **I'm back! School's been rough but I'm hanging in there. School is the number one reason why I haven't been able to complete the chapter and update the story. Luckily, with the holidays coming up, there's a chance I might be able to get to the Galuna Island Arc for the story before we hit the New Year. So I'm saying there's a chance? Yes. Yes I am.**

 **Now my friends… if you haven't checked out my profile or noticed my comments on the many stories I've read then you probably don't know but I'll tell you. I have very, very bad pairing bias. Now for some stories I'll go with the status quo when putting two characters together but for others I'll be sure to step out of my comfort zone just to mix things up a little and see what kind of dynamic these characters have with each other given they aren't paired with their canonized significant other. That said, there some pairings I will not break up or will be reluctant to do so for sake of the story. Plus it makes sense given the fact knowing these pairings, it's hard to see guys like Natsu or Ichigo or maybe even Naruto get paired off with someone else. But excuses could be made for why.**

 **Natsu loves his guild, friends, fighting and food in that order. Plus he's dense as hell. But between you and me, he's been around the guild long enough to know things so he isn't stupid. And of all the girls he best bonds with: Erza, Mira, Cana and Levy are like sisters. Lisanna was in Edolas and thought dead for 2 years so there's that. Lucy being in the picture and given what they've been through together… you can't deny the spark that's obviously between the two. They have a unique dynamic within the series which I'm sure Mashima realizes but trolls us with. Nevertheless, could you honestly see Natsu or Lucy with anyone else? For Natsu, maybe Erza. And Lucy? Maybe, just maybe Gray or Loke (Although his playboy persona and 'charm' is more annoying rather than endearing).**

 **Ichigo had to constantly deal with his inner turmoil and fight for higher powers during his tenure in High School. He never really had time to sort out his feelings for anyone really. Rukia was like a sister more than a girlfriend but they were close. Rangiku I'm pretty sure thought so too when she talked to Orihime that one time. From my understanding, despite it being rushed, Ichigo probably sat down with Orihime to have a talk about everything which led to their relationship becoming what it was. Although I'm happy it finally happened, I agree with many fans when saying the thing felt rushed. Their relationship I felt needed some added depth just to confirm what some of us (me included) were hoping for. And just so you know… I'm open to multi-pairings with Ichigo as long as Orihime is still in. She's had the longest crush on him so why not her? I sure as hell wouldn't pair her up with Uryu.**

 **And lastly we come to Naruto… Sakura has undying loyalty to Sasuke and Hinata had a crush on Naruto since they were kids. Honestly it makes sense to me but I wouldn't mind Hinata ending up with someone else while Naruto got with Sakura. Either pairing with our favorite resident Knucklehead Ninja works just fine. Enough about pairings though.**

 **Question… Best Girl amongst the three main Saiyan spouses? Gine, Chi-Chi or Bulma? For me it's Bulma or Gine. Bulma was uber-supportive of Vegeta for years and her loyalty was finally rewarded after so long… after dealing with a few life and death situations. Gine was the wife of Bardock and the mother of Goku. She's the person that gave Goku his gentle side while the fierce fighting side comes from his Dad (obivously). Though I will say, I rarely see her get portrayed out of character on the site and to be honest… it feels too weird. I can see her being stern as a mother but not to the extent where it might become abuse (Although being from a warrior society that's not really saying much). Honestly, she and Bardock deserved at least a few cameo appearances just to show Goku where he truly comes from (no disrespect to Grandpa Gohan).**

 **Now the sequel to Fairy Tail aka 100 Year Quest will get a mention but the end of the Fairy Tail story will be featured before the epilogue. Now Epilogues can be divided into multiple parts right? Given my English teachers were the best I ever had, I probably should have asked them. But anyways, the DB Super Movie may be a part of the Epilogue. I know for a fact Battle of Gods and Resurrection F will be in the Epilogue. But as far the DB Super Storylines like the two Tournaments or that whole thing with Zamasu? I doubt it. As much fun as I would have letting Bardock wreak havoc in those arcs, I'll do a general summary going into the last part of the epilogue. Hopefully I'll be able to do the fights and each individual epilogue section justice when the time comes which is a long way off.**

 **So guys level with me… for those who have been able to find a way to read FT: 100 Year Quest, FT: City Hero and Edens Zero what do you think? Personally, the new chapters have been fun for City Hero and Edens Zero. However, 100 Year Quest makes me question a lot of things but I won't say much. All I will say is, it gets ridiculous how OP-ish some characters seem by Fairy Tail standards and the same could be said during the Alvarez War. I can't be the only one thinking that right?**

 **Lastly… I've been indulging my time in Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Xbox One), Marvel's Spider-Man and Battlefield V (Xbox One). Battlefield V stays true to the Battlefield franchise and has the room for growth in future DLC. Still need to finish the story in Spider-Man before moving onto the DLC. And AC: Odyssey beat Origins by miles. It ranks at the top of the franchise and will be heavily considered for Game of the Year.**

 **Side note… if Nel ever called Grimmjow by the nickname "Grimmy", I shout Kawaii! That would be adorable. Lol**

 **Sorry for the lengthy A/N but I had to do it. They won't be this long in the future I assure you.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

 **Now on with the show!**

* * *

 **Sometime Later**

 **Location [Classified]**

 **Magic Council Fiore Branch**

It had taken a few hours for the convoy to arrive but it did so with no hiccups along the way. In addition to that, Erza had simply sat in silence or on rare occasion regaled her guards with a few stories about her adventures. It was nice to see that not all Rune Knights shared the same views. Plus it was also nice to see Rune Knights have good, civil conversation with a mage from a Light Guild. Years of dealing with Dark Guilds and the subsequent aftermath of Light Guild jobs (mainly related to Fairy Tail), painted a bad image for mages in general. Erza was clearly one of a select few or from a good sized group who could say they never fit the stereotype. That stereotype being that mages were lewd, rude and drunken ruffians that did as they pleased and gave authority the proverbial bird and a sign that read F.U. So once the ride was over, the somewhat serious atmosphere lightened even a little bit.

Now, whatever happened with Erza didn't happen with Bardock. He simply sat in silence meditating the first half of the trip and sleeping for the second half. The Saiyan had learned some forms of meditation during his early days in the military. He couldn't really see all the benefits for it and rarely ever took the time to do so. He quickly changed his mind when he saw the benefits through his dreams and visions. His son Kakarot and his allies had harnessed meditation in their training regimen, so he decided on giving it another shot. The biggest issue with trying to meditate though was his temper. Deep down he knew that his legendary rage needed to be calmed for he was like a raging lion who was always out of its cage. Bardock reluctantly quelled the beast within and started to do his best in mellowing out. With Bardock trying out meditation and sleeping as a way to pass the time, Ultear was disappointed she didn't get to talk to her fellow passenger at all. She would at least hope to get information on the mystery man taking Earth Land by storm but she weighed her options and decided to save any questions she had for the impending trial. So to soothe her aching boredom, the lovely Councilwoman caught up on some much needed reading. One book she read was talking about some spells while another book she read was a gritty romance novel with a hint (actually more than a hint) of spiciness. To her frustration, she couldn't find it in herself to satisfy whatever carnal desires arose from reading the hotter bits of her book. So she decided during the trip to fix her little issue by getting her usual kicks of messing with the Council and then going to her office for some much needed relief of the sexual nature.

Now the convoy was unloading the two Fairy Tail members close to where the trial was taking place. Ultear had left the guards with orders and proceeded on ahead to rendezvous with her fellow Council members. While that was taking place, Bardock had gotten a look at the strange building before him.

( _"How architects get by in this world is beyond me."_ )

The building in question was quite outrageous in its appearance. Topping the lower structure were a series of smaller structures suspended in the air at various heights, which composed of the rest of the headquarters.

The base was simple, a hexagonal or octagonal building composed of bricks, with large, square windows or double doors adorning many of its faces. On top, the structure grows drastically larger, extending outwards and taking the shape of a large, round and flat capsized dome, highly reminiscent of a bowl. Such dome was intricately decorated with dark, geometrical motifs. A series of rhombs were present in its central part, with the large ones being alternated with slightly smaller ones, and above them are numerous, sharp triangles pointing upwards, to the dome's largest part, which has a wavy decoration just below the flat top, with the structure's parts jutting outwards and creating angles.

Several meters above the bowl-like structure, floating on its edges, were ten slightly curved panels; the panels' sides facing outwards are divided into nine square sections, with each section being adorned by a simple motif, with three circles, placed one on top of another, flanked by vertical lines. The inner, curved sides were bare.

Another final structure was floating above the panels, in correspondence to the center of the capsized dome: sitting on a round platform, adorned with a simple motif, consisting of dark triangles alternated with light capsized triangles, and sporting large railings diagonally jutting outwards on the top, is a palace, which seems to consist of three main sections. The central one is an hexagonal or octagonal tower, with its faces adorned by a multitude of high, arched windows, topped by a very massive, round dome, which starts out as small from the tower's top, grows larger near its own center and then reverts to its starting size near its summit, which has a decorative structure on top, seemingly circled by a wide, floating halo. To such part's right is another, smaller tower highly reminiscent of it; on the left sits instead a shorter building, with a roof seemingly made of elongated tiles.

Bardock stared with an impassive expression but inside he was… it was rather hard to describe how he felt. First he meets the fruitcakes of Fairy Tail, the oddball and freakshow master of Blue Pegasus and to top it off…

"This is gonna suck." Bardock sighed out.

He was about to be on trial in front of government officials whose building must have had an eccentric architect. Needless to say, he thought his day would go better than this.

"Chin up Bardock. I assure you it won't be too bad."

The Saiyan spared a glance to the side as Erza was waiting to be escorted in.

"Besides, you and I both know what they really want us for. If anything let's not antagonize them and answer whatever questions they have. The quicker we do that, the quicker we can head back to the guild." The redhead explained.

That by far was the best idea he heard all day. Go in, don't antagonize the council, and then give them the answers they want before leaving. Easy right? Hell no. Bardock planned on making things a bit difficult for the Council once the proceedings shifted to their true purpose. Sure, Ultear seemed okay despite the woman's 'needs' becoming noticeable. Along with that, she hadn't made any attempt to irritate him during the trip so that was also a plus. She was a wild card from his initial impression of her. The Councilwoman being this unknown factor, extended well beyond the implications of this showy trial. What path Ultear would take was not his business but he would be wary all the same.

Snapping back to reality, orders came down to separate the two Fairy Tail members for the sake of how the proceedings were arranged. The Saiyan immediately knew the first half of the trial was for Erza while the second half was for him. So after the orders were confirmed, a small squad of knights plus a messenger escorted Erza straight to the court room while Bardock was to remain on stand by for a limited time in another room.

While awaiting whatever it was the Council had in store, Bardock noted that the interior had some style to it. The inner décor of the halls had reminded him of the inner workings of King Vegeta's palace. Of course, his royal highness wasn't all that focused on making his house look good but the nostalgia was still there.

Instead of sitting down and waiting, Bardock decided to stand, with a pair of guards flanking each side. The primitive means of transportation had a great drawback… it was incredibly slow which means it was an eternity before reaching a set destination. Luckily his legs didn't fall asleep after so much inactivity but it was frustrating none the less. He honestly should have said 'Screw it' and flew here but he had no intention of making Fairy Tail look bad and pissing off the Council, uppity bastards as they were. As moments passed, Bardock patiently waited until his senses picked up a new arrival in the room surrounded by five other men.

Standing amongst the crowd of Rune Knights was a stern, bespectacled man wearing white gloves and had his hair tied into what Bardock could see was a bun, allowing his bangs to flank each side of his face. And unlike the traditional Rune Knight, this man wore a blue blazer underneath his cloak (really a cape but is there a difference?).

( _"Why the hell does Specs have his hair like that?"_ )

Although he gave no indication or hand gestures, the man stepped forward while the others behind him remained back. At the moment, the Saiyan and this bespectacled man were a few feet apart standing face to face. Most everyone could feel a slight build in tension in the room when the two men gave each other an analyzing gaze.

It was moment of tense silence before the man spoke with a simple question…

"You are the man identified as Bardock correct?"

Said man gave a nod confirming his identity to this new arrival.

"My name is Lahar. I am the Division Commander for the 4th Custody Enforcement Unit. It is pleasure to have your acquaintance." Lahar greeted with a slight bow.

This answered a question that had popped up to Bardock. He now knew who this man was and got a general idea of what his job entailed.

( _"Custody Enforcement Unit? Interesting…"_ )

"Pleasure's mine… I guess." Bardock responded with a raised brow.

With a curt nod, Lahar glanced around the room, wordlessly giving orders as the men fell into a formation typical of security guards when escorting VIPs or high value targets.

"Please follow me." Lahar politely requested.

At that, Bardock gave a curt nod of his own and wordlessly fell in line next to Lahar. All the Rune Knights kept comfortable grip on their lances while making subtle glances towards the resident Saiyan. Bardock picked up on this and made sure to note that these guys were probably a bit nervous. Their anxiety was more than likely a result of the rumors stemming from the Eisenwald incident. Given how strong he was, he could take on anyone and walk out without a scratch. However, considering the situation he was currently in he'd rather not risk tarnishing Fairy Tail and adding legal troubles to his stay in this world.

"So… I take it you know why you're here?" Lahar inquired.

Bardock was brought out of his musings and briefly thought on the question. Of course he knew why he was here. Luckily he figured that out before leaving the guild behind with Erza and quickly diffusing a potential disaster with Natsu.

"Yeah. Mainly the trial's for show while really those windbags want answers as to who I am. That about sums it up really. Wouldn't you agree Specs?" He responded with a smirk.

The group of knights stumbled and shot incredulous looks towards the Fairy Tail member while Lahar merely raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to the man next to him.

"Specs?"

The tone in Lahar's voice was more curiosity than anything. Throughout his life and his career as a member of the Rune Knights, he wasn't really given any memorable nicknames. Yet Fairy Tail's newest decided to gift him one out of the blue. Was it for teasing or respect?

"Yeah. Got a problem with the nickname?"

Ok maybe it was a bit of both.

"Not at all."

Lahar took a moment to straighten himself out and regain his composure a bit. He honestly didn't think there would be any problems dealing with this man given his initial impression along with the background check. Something of which would come up in the trial in a matter of minutes.

"Truth is there are many who are curious about you. And it's not just the Council who wants to know more." Lahar began.

"Makes sense."

And how much Bardock was willing to spill depended heavily on him. He was willing give a few answers… but the rest had to remain classified. He may be a soldier with no formal command structure to call upon or even royalty to answer to anymore. But Bardock didn't give a damn about the circumstances. He slowly formed a plan on how to answer the possible questions posed to him. Adapting to the situation was not only part of being a soldier but also being a warrior.

"There are many Dark Guilds out there who would want that kind of power on their side. Additionally, neighboring kingdoms and independent nations also inquired about you. You are a new player in the system with capabilities that seem much stronger than even the best wizards in the world that we know of." Lahar explained further.

Bardock listened intently and noted this as shit he already knew. Of course he wouldn't say that out loud.

"Hopefully this trial will help answer some questions we have had on our minds for some time now."

At this point Bardock let the man ramble on. He was saving his breath for the trial at this point. On another note, he was amazed that the architect of the building incorporated a way for people to view the scenery. He wasn't much of a nature lover given his background and all the planets he visited. But surely if she were here… she would have encouraged him to enjoy the beauty of life out here.

Gine may have been a member of a warrior society and a former member of Bardock's squad, but even she could appreciate the small things in life… her family, friends and even some of the stories about the various planets out there teeming with exotic wildlife. She was a fierce fighter when she needed to be but she had the kindest spirit one could ever witness.

"We understand that given your occupation, time is important to you so I'm sure the Council will do its best in speeding things along."

Once again brought out of his thoughts, Bardock took a moment to note this man's professional courtesy. It honestly made him wonder why the Council had such a rough relationship with the magic guilds in the region. Wait a minute… that was just the Dark Guilds and Fairy Tail in general. Even though the rowdy bunch of fruitcakes were a legal guild, the Council sure loved to give them hell after they caused some sort of ruckus.

"'Preciate it. I don't like having my time wasted. I have bigger and better things to do, so I'd rather stay as busy as possible if I can help it." Bardock said with sincerity.

To this Lahar gave a nod of gratitude. He honestly felt that outside of Erza, Fairy Tail's newest member was one he could trust to do right by him, the Council and the citizens of the kingdom. Of course that didn't mean he wasn't going to disobey orders in the Council's investigations into some of Fairy Tail's secrets.

The group walked in comfortable silence before reaching the doors that led to the inside of the courtroom. The resident Saiyan wasn't nervous at all. This whole charade was nothing but an annoyance he was going to end. Sure he'd answer the Council's questions as long as they were reasonable. But he wasn't going to be professional about it if they aggravated him.

"Just some word of advice though…" Lahar trailed off.

The bespectacled man glanced at the man to his side, while his subordinates kept stoic expressions maintaining a defensive posture.

"Be on your best behavior with my superiors. Given that gatherings like this probably aren't your forte, they won't take kindly to confrontation. That I can assure you." Lahar warned with a serious expression.

To this, Fairy Tail's recent addition took a look around at the men tasked with guarding him. He made note of the grips on their weapons getting a little tighter than before. 'Specs' was somewhat right in his assumption that he wasn't used to these sort of gatherings. What 'Specs' got wrong was the fact that Bardock sometimes lived to piss other people off. Those people were mainly some of King Vegeta's military advisors due to their own personal goals becoming more noticeable during his time in the military.

"Same with you and your men?" Bardock prompted with a straight face.

Lahar closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. He turned his gaze away from Bardock and back towards the doors in front of him.

"Yes."

The man dubbed the Lost Warrior gave a low chuckle before readying himself for the show that would go on in the next few minutes.

"Good to know."

The group had finally stepped through the threshold and Bardock honestly thought the room fit the building all too well.

The room was covered in decorative motifs, and leaning against a wall was a large, majestic structure that acted as a podium for the Council members or in case of in person absences their thought projections. The podium was complimented with armchairs for each Council member to sit on. Of course, given the occasion most of these seats were occupied. The lower part of such podium was the most intricately decorated, with highly elaborated bas-reliefs adorning the square pillars on its frontal part, with a pair of similarly adorned, rectangular concave parts, with rectangular, horizontal niches on top, held up by small columns, visible in the back, each housing what looks like a rectangular window. Noting the lower part, there seemed to be scribes or stenographers sitting face to face in front of the council itself. On another note, they looked similar to the amphibian-like person Bardock saw when the Council summoned him and Erza.

Located above the first level was a second, stage-like level, housing the Council members. This section could be accessed by a pair of staircases placed at the sides of the first level. The wall behind the seats for the Council members was split into various sections by thin structures going up to the wall's top, which slightly protruded outwards; each section was decorated by a large rhomb flanked by a pair of smaller arcs, complete with more, intricate motifs around them.

On top of the whole structure appeared to be the place for the Chairman, noted to be occupied by said Chairman, complete with an armchair reminiscent of a throne, larger than those for the rest of the Council members. Behind it, attached to the wall, is an enormous painting with an intricately decorated frame, which portrayed several waterfalls flowing down a cliff into the water below. A few mountains were also visible in the background.

In front of the assembly was where the accused mages usually stood during trial proceedings. It consisted of a small, rectangular area marked by a massive, decorative balustrade open on the back, on the part facing towards the large, double door giving access to the court, at whose sides were several stands for the trials' possible public to sit in. Currently, the area was open due to the fact Erza was standing off a few feet to the side of it, magic suppression cuffs no longer on her wrist.

When the group made their approach to the stand, Erza gave a nod of acknowledgement which Bardock returned. He took his place in the stand and quickly analyzed who was in attendance, starting from right and slowly going left.

The first was a young man who dressed himself in elegant yet simple robes; consisting of a long white frock-coat with black stripes across the edges and on the upper part of the arms, a decorated standing collar, large straps connected to decorated buckles closing the inducement on the front over a dark shirt, and matching pants and shoes. He also sported a ring on his right middle finger, and usually had the medallion attesting his status as one of the Ten Wizard Saints around his neck, hidden by his jacket's collar. This young man was Councilman Siegrain, the youngest member of the Magic Council and the 10th Seat. Bardock would refer to the young pup as "Pretty Boy".

Seated next to Siegrain was a person Bardock found himself familiar with not that long ago. Instead of sporting the lavender color, customized kimono, the lovely Ultear was sporting a pure white kimono with black trim and an unseen golden sash (or obi) around her waist. The Saiyan Rebel also noted she exchanged her white headband from earlier for a yellow-golden one. When the 9th seat took notice of Bardock's gaze, she perched her chin on her interlocked fingers and beamed a smile his way. It honestly made the man wonder what kind of hell she put the other members of the Council through on a daily basis…

Moving on, Bardock passed over two open seats that were supposed to be occupied. He felt a bit insulted not all the Council members would be here to question him but at the same time he understood if someone needed to take a sick day. Still though, it irked him a bit and he had to think quickly on whether or not to bring that up.

Next to the set of open seats was a short, old man with thick light-brown eyebrows and a small toothbrush mustache that reached halfway to his mouth. He is currently wearing a brown long sleeve shirt with black vertical stripes and a black three-spiked hat. This man was Mr. Yajima, 6th Seat of the Magic Council and one of Fairy Tail's biggest advocates on the Council. From his aura, the old man seemed to regard Bardock with both respect and kindness, something the Saiyan found welcoming. The Saiyan would dub him "Old Man Yaji".

Next to Yajima was a tall elderly woman, even though she was seated Bardock could tell her height. She wears a cloak like the other Council members, and has on a purple turtle-neck. The trait that caught Bardock's eyes was her long nose, which gave her more of a witch-like appearance. She had sandy blonde hair, which she tied up into a large ponytail that seemed to fan out into a series of spiky tear-dropped shapped tufts of hair. She was Belno, 5th Seat of the Magic Council. When his gaze met hers, they immediately tried to get a read on each other. That only lasted a few seconds before they gave their own estimation of the other… they would get along just fine.

Next to her was a tall middle-aged man, who appeared to wear small, round, dark shaded glasses. He wore a white and blue Magic Council cloak, with the hood up. Physical appearance-wise he had large thin lips and tan skin. In addition to that, he had black hair and huge sideburns that almost hit his lips. On his chin were small chin hairs. What stood out were the small eyebrows that apparently were point down, making him look angry and serious (Someone likely pissed in his cornflakes every morning). Bardock made a note that this guy wasn't someone he liked from the get go. He also joked internally how he must have had a stick up his ass the size of the Rainbow Sakura tree in Magnolia Park. This individual, too serious for his own good, was Leiji, 4th Seat of the Magic Council. Said Councilman tried his best to glare at the defendant who remained unfazed by it. Bardock 'affectionately' gave him the name "Sideburns".

Next to the disgruntled man was a short, elderly/old man with oddly flat brown hair, which tapers to a point in three places: on both sides of his face and in the center of his forehead. He also had tufts of hair on either side of his head that resemble ears (likely not real) and what appeared to be a light-yellow tail growing out of his backside (however this was unseen given he was seated); these two attributes gave him a very cat-like appearance. The other distinguishing facial features were his bristle-edged mustache, along with tiny, dark-colored eyes and eyebrows that resembled musical notes. For this man's attire, he sported a light-colored robe that bore stripe-like markings on both sleeves, down his sides, and on his back. This dwarf of a man was Michello, 3rd Seat of the Magic Council. The only thing Bardock could note was the air of indifference about him but he still felt the geezer was committed to doing his job. He nicknamed the little guy "Cat Man".

Last man standing (or sitting) at the end of the row was a tall, gray-haired elderly man with a considerably long beard, as well as a mustache. He had pointy ears and apparently had a habit of keeping only one of his dark-colored eyes open at a time. This man appeared to be wearing multiple layers of robes, much like the other members of the Magic Council, and on top of his head was a small bat-shaped ornament. This man was Org, often referred to as Master Org by subordinates. He was the 2nd Seat of the Magic Council and he carried a good amount of authority that was more often than not seen in the Chairman. Bardock immediately zeroed in on him and had a hunch he would be leading the trial proceedings and not the Chairman himself, even though said Chairman was in attendance.

Just out of curiosity, the defendant took a look up and found a shadowy outline of a man with a pointed hat. The Saiyan Rebel could even tell this man had a beard that would give Org a run for his money. Hidden in the shadows was Crawford Seam, Chairman of the Magic Council.

Now that all the players were in play, the Council could proceed.

"I now call upon the Division Commander of the 4th Custody Enforcement Unit." Org boomed.

Erza stood behind the pedestal or witness stand to Bardock's left. Lahar stepped in front of the stand and was in the Saiyan's view to the right side.

"I present to the honorable members of the Magic Council, Bardock of Fairy Tail." Lahar stated.

A Rune Knight was allowed to bypass the guard closest to Org and handed him a scroll. The 2nd Seat opened the scroll and set it in front of him.

"Bardock of Fairy Tail guild…"

Said man looked up with an expectant look. Org took this as a sign to continue.

"Due to your actions in the Lullaby incident, the Magic Council is charging you with property damages due to the destruction of the League Hall. Nevertheless, your selfless actions have saved countless lives and we took this into account before considering your punishment." Org elaborated.

A punishment? Despite doing a good job and cleaning up their mess? Yes, their mess due to the fact keeping Lullaby locked up was their responsibility. Oh well, Erza did say it would be just a slap on the wrist. The Council likely took into account all the good Fairy Tail has done and just hand down appropriate punishments to a select few who caused damages in the past.

"That said… you are hereby ordered to pay the fine of 500,000 Jewel. That is your punishment due to the outstanding property damages."

( _"I figured it would have been more… Oh well. Means I need to get a job big enough to pay it off."_ ) Bardock hummed in thought.

Org motioned for one of the guards to take away the scroll that was now marked with his signature before putting his hands together, interlocking his fingers.

"We move on to more serious matters."

( _"Here it comes…"_ )

It was finally time to answer the Council's questions. The resident Saiyan warrior thought it would have taken longer to get their little Q&A session but he appreciated the fact they wanted to get down to real business. Time to have some fun.

"Yeah…"

*Clink*

Without warning, Bardock effortlessly broke his cuffs and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"I figured you guys wanted a proper meet and greet, so here I am." Bardock stated with a smirk.

At that moment, the Saiyan took into account all the various expressions on most of the people in the room. Ultear was giggling behind one of her sleeves, which was somewhat amusing and cute at the same time. Siegrain simply grasped his fist in one hand and smiled with an expression that spoke curiosity and intrigue. The other members of the Council, chairman included, along with Erza and Lahar (the knights might as well be included) were simply dumbfounded and flabbergasted. Bardock figured he could take this a bit further.

"What?" he inquired with mock ignorance.

Org went from slack jawed to sputtering as he pointed to somewhere on Bardock's body. Said man looked down and already knew he broke the cuffs. He just wanted to frame everyone's expressions for memories… and show the Council who was really in charge. He looked back up and eyed the Council with his best smirk.

"Oops." He said with a shrug.

And then the reactions came again. Leiji was gritting his teeth in slight anger, but it wasn't visible. Yajima shook his head while smiling. After all, the man had once been a member of Fairy Tail but that was ages ago. Nevertheless, Old Man Yaji was well acquainted with how Fairy Tail rolled so he honestly should have seen this coming. Belno regained her posture allowed a ghost of a smile to grace her face. Though she was stern, she knew when to relax if only just a little.

Belno had a great amount of respect for each of her colleagues, even for all their faults. But even she knew she couldn't get along with everyone. Yajima, Org, Crawford Seam and Michello were treated as good friends despite the crankiness she sometimes got from Org and Michello. Leiji was an acquaintance due to the fact she found his over-zealousness of achieving justice a bit much. Which is why both the Chairman and the 2nd Seat trusted her to rein him in should the need arise. Siegrain and Ultear though… she knew from day one something was off about those two. Instead of going to Org or the Chairman, Belno went straight to Yajima, who she trusted with her entire being. She of course knew of his history with Fairy Tail and his stances with regarding how the Council treated them. She remained fair and objective when the subject of his old guild came up but she stepped in when things crossed the line due to the various opinions of the Council becoming personal.

Back to the reactions though… the Chairman merely sighed due to the absurdness of Bardock's little (not so little) display of strength. Michello had a sour look that said disapproval but really said disinterest combined with annoyance. Ultear let out a hearty laugh which appeared to be genuine. For once Bardock found that happy, somewhat goofy look on the time mage's face to be fitting. Siegrain let out a short chuckle which made Bardock's paranoia flare up a bit. Erza face-palmed and let out a slightly stress filled sigh. And Lahar… just cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses with a slight push of his index finger.

"Enough! We shall have order!"

Org's deep voice settled down those in the courtroom. Although, amused smiles could still be found on the faces of Yajima, Siegrain, Ultear and even Belno of all people. The 2nd Seat cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention back to him.

"Now, given the circumstances of recent events you have made many, if not all of us on the Council curious."

Bardock dropped his smirk and put on his trademark scowl. His brain was now working through all the possible questions and answers just like before.

"Before July 2nd, there's no apparent record of someone named Bardock in the various archives we have. It is as though you appeared out of nowhere."

That was true. Whoever Bardock's unknown friend was, didn't think this little detail through. Minor issue though…

"All we have on you are various eyewitness accounts and your guild registration form. Which begs the question many of us are wondering… just who exactly are you and where do you come from?" Org inquired while narrowing his open eye.

The first two questions are simple enough. The answers though…

"My name is Bardock. My former occupation was a soldier. And to top it off…"

Some in the courtroom assumed it was a rather fancy belt wrapped around the waist band of Bardock's armor. Oh how wrong they were when the man's belt seemingly unwrapped itself and started wiggling back and forth like a tail belonging to a feline or even a monkey. This action caused many, if not everyone in the room to suck in some air while their brains processed the sight before them.

"I'm not human. I'm an extraterrestrial warrior from another universe. And due to some extreme circumstances I ended up here not of my free will."

See in Earth Land many things are possible with magic. In Earth Land, there are various scholars who study many things when it comes to the world around them and the stars above them. Yes, there were many denizens in Earth Land who would say there's the possibility of life beyond their own blue world. But there was no way to prove any of the theories presented and no evidence really presented itself. So… when a man comes in claiming not only to be an alien but to be from another universe, one can't help but meet this claim with…

"Hey man! Do you think this is some sort of joke?!" Leiji shouted as he shot up from his chair.

One couldn't help but meet such a claim with open skepticism. Yet Leiji met more with disbelief and mockery.

Bardock's eyes moved to the man who dared challenge his background so he did what he did best in this type of situation.

"I ain't joking 'Sideburns'. I honestly don't have much to prove but I'll tell you this much. I sure as hell ain't lying about what I just said. Think you can come up with an actual theory as to who I am? Be my damn guest." Bardock retorted.

"Why you-"

"Enough Leiji. Sit down, you're embarrassing yourself and honestly you should do a better job of keeping your composure. And if you grate those teeth anymore you'll wind up getting braces later." Belno ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

Grumbling, Leiji sat back down and then Belno spoke out once more.

"My colleague does have a point to an extent. Tell us Bardock, besides these little displays you have shown us, is there anything else you would like to add that could possibly support your claim?" Belno asked.

Now they were getting somewhere. The Saiyan was right in his hunch about the 5th Seat and his respect for her grew a bit more. She was asking a good question which would be difficult to answer given he had little evidence to produce. Even so he moved forward.

"Well… what I am exactly is classified due to my people's history and our somewhat unique biology. However, what I can tell you is that I'm much stronger than most mages, even entire guilds put together. In addition to that I don't practice magic at all." Bardock explained.

The two stenographers were typing away and paused ever so slightly when the man said he didn't use magic. Skepticism that was evident before was growing and it didn't take long for someone to call the sole Saiyan of Fairy Tail out on it.

"Young man, do you honestly expect us to believe you don't use magic?" Michello prompted with a raised brow.

"That's right."

Yajima decided to chime in, curious himself about what his fellow Fairy had just claimed.

"If that's the case Bardock, what was it we saw you use against Lullaby? And how exactly were you able to do things not many in this room could pull off with the amount of power we assume you're packing?"

This was both easy and difficult to answer. Easy because he could give the Council an idea of what exactly he could do. Difficult because he didn't want anyone stupid enough to try and harness the same power that could only be harnessed by select groups amongst his home galaxy, maybe even his home universe. The idea of someone using Ki in combination with magic made him paranoid because he didn't need the additional headache. Sure he could take them on with preparation and training. But he was operating on limited resources which included just the clothes on his back, weighted clothes gifted to him by his unknown ally and the power boost he got after nearly dying.

"All I can say is I use an energy source similar to Ethernano but it's just more potent and powerful."

Each member of the Council took in that little piece of info and let it settle as they formed their own opinions on the statement.

Ultear's interest in Bardock's story grew. He's some alien warrior from another universe who wields a power greater than any magic. Fairy Tail was awfully fortunate to recruit such a man. She figured that he would be better off serving alongside her and her master. His power could very well be the key to accomplishing her guild's goals and her own personal desires.

Siegrain was mentally jotting down as much information as he could from this 'interview' as possible. This man may be the proof to the Multiverse theory as well as possibly answer the question of "Are we truly alone?". That and add on the fact he wielded a power greater than magic? Today was getting to be far more interesting than anticipated. Still, he hoped Bardock would not become a roadblock for his personal goals.

The rest of the Council, Chairman included mulled over that last bit of info. Leiji obviously didn't want to believe it without concrete proof. That and he was hoping for a more suitable punishment for Fairy Tail's newest addition other than some fines, yet his hands were tied. Michello wasn't too heavily interested but he would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit curious. Yajima could tell that Bardock wasn't lying. In addition to that, the 6th Seat needed to get in touch with Makarov for old times sake just to see what his old friend knew about the newest addition to the family. Belno was mentally making notes starting from physical appearance to psychological framework. The sagely woman was interested in interacting with Bardock more just to get a feel for his character and maybe just what his future outlook might be. He carried himself like a true veteran of warfare and commanded the respect of everyone in the room. His aura was like that of an alpha male in the pack which meant if you were weak, you would be weeded out and dealt with. It made her wonder just what he went through just to get here in the first place. Org picked up on the same thoughts and immediately zeroed in on two important details that nobody asked about yet.

"You said you were a soldier correct?"

At this question, Bardock gave a curt nod of affirmation.

"If that's the case, have you killed before?" Org asked in a grim tone.

The atmosphere shifted and many in the room couldn't help but wonder what this otherworldly visitor's response would be. Belno, Ultear, Yajima, and Erza all frowned at the implications, each of them having different thoughts than the other concerning someone they found an admiration or respect for. Leiji of course had his thoughts on how to deal with Bardock should he be a threat. Siegrain didn't let his mysterious, devilish smile leave his face as he just sat back in his chair. The young Wizard Saint already had a feeling what the answer would be. He just wished his fellow Councilman didn't waste his time in asking an obvious question. And as for Michello… he just wanted answers for future reference.

Suddenly the Saiyan Rebel closed his eyes and let out an eerily dark chuckle. Erza and Lahar were both nervous while most of the Council was on edge. Bardock opened his eyes and looked to the people in front of him with a smirk that screamed 'Don't mess with me'.

"I wasn't the only one. But let's just say the body count was, and still is a lot higher than the number of people in Earth Land right now."

Org's other eye shot wide open at that statement. Everyone minus Siegrain reeled back in shock at yet another ridiculous claim. Yet Bardock said this with no hesitation and no remorse for his past actions. If any indication, this may have well ended any further point in asking questions.

"I think that should satisfy the curiosity of my colleagues. Wouldn't you agree?" Siegrain said, eyeing each of his colleagues.

Although his eyes were on the rest of his fellow Council members, his question was directed towards the subject of everyone's thoughts. Said subject took this as a cue to finally leave, no permission needed. Bardock's face twisted into a scowl before he uncrossed his arms and turned around, beginning his walk out of the courtroom.

"We're done here."

Erza stared at the retreating figure of her fellow guild member before starting a brisk walk to catch up with him. Of course she stopped when he did when the Saiyan Rebel took a moment to glance over his shoulder in Siegrain's direction.

"By the way…"

Siegrain hummed as he quirked an eyebrow awaiting a possible last minute statement.

"You should wipe that smile off your face 'Pretty boy'. Otherwise I'll do it for you. Got it?" Bardock leveled.

At that statement several of the Rune Knights took a few steps forward before being signaled to hold their position by Lahar, who hadn't even turned to look Bardock's way as the Saiyan was leaving.

Siegrain's smirk was replaced by a frown, slightly put off by the man's attitude. Ultear took note of this and was inwardly grateful to Bardock for putting the young Wizard Saint in his place. She had very much wanted to see the blue haired mage taken down a notch due to his apparent cockiness and lack of maturity at times. Still she was somewhat bothered by the fact that a man that caught her interest could be so casual about an insane body count that very well exceeded the population of the entire planet. It just made her question all the more what exactly Bardock went through.

Not wanting to let any members of the Council have the last word, Bardock strolled out through the double doors with Erza in tow. And just like that, whatever was said in that courtroom would be a long topic of discussion for the Council in the coming days.

* * *

 **Several minutes later**

Tension this thick required precision and power just to cut it. Why?

Bardock didn't give details but good enough answers to give the Council an idea as to who he was and his experiences. That satisfied him so long as he didn't give the why he was here in the first place. So again, why the need to cut the tension? Well…

"We need to talk."

After leaving the building, the duo of Bardock and Erza found a clearing nearby to collect themselves before making the trip back to Magnolia. Currently, the Saiyan was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed as he looked his traveling companion who seem to regard him with rising suspicion as well as a bit of disgust. It seemed fair to be honest. His past wasn't really pretty to begin with and he embraced it with no regrets… well mostly.

"About what?"

Erza stood her ground and kept giving Bardock a stern gaze.

"Everything."

So that's what it was? Bardock's tail had long wrapped itself back around his waist, doing so while exiting the courtroom. He didn't need anyone gawking at the fact he had a tail. The less headaches he dealt with the better. On top of that, he discarded what remained of his cuffs during the walk out in one of the hallways. He pitied any of the mages who had those on.

"All you need to know is that I told the truth. I just left out details they didn't deserve to know." Bardock said in an even tone.

At this, the Queen of the Fairies narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew that his patience was probably starting to thin a bit. The feeling was very much mutual. The very man who helped her and her comrades stop a threat was some sort of alien warrior from another universe with a body count that would and should make most not be able to sleep at night. It pained her at first but that pain turned into disgusted outrage. She honestly couldn't believe that a man like him could just brush off the fact he ended so many lives with no care at all. It was maddening!

She respected him for the power he possessed and the bravery he fought with in helping stop Eisenwald Guild and the demon Lullaby both. Yet, she was disgusted with him for the fact he had secrets built upon the mass graves of what amounted to other alien civilizations. Yes, Erza couldn't find a lie in Bardock's testimony when the Council questioned him. Yet he left out key details that made him more suspicious than anything. Which led her to one conclusion… she couldn't fully trust the man.

"So what happened with Erigor and Eisenwald? Was that supposed to be mercy? Or did you just spare them to save yourself the trouble of being convicted of murder?" She questioned in an accusing tone.

Of course she crossed the line but Bardock wasn't going to let her get under his skin. He simply narrowed his eyes right back at her and gave her a response.

"I held back because if I went all out they would be dead and I wouldn't be here." Bardock retorted with venom in his voice.

A wind blew as silence followed, neither person taking their eyes off the other. This short moment of reprieve from a possible war of words had become a battle of wills in the form of a staring contest. But this battle was not to be.

Bardock uncrossed his arms and walked past Erza, not even sparing a glance her way as he stepped past her. He was several feet away before he spoke.

"I'll tell everyone at the guild my story when I'm damn well ready. Until then I got a fine to pay off and training to do. So let's get out of here before we both do something we'll regret." Bardock stated in finality.

With that, Erza lowered her head and sighed.

"Fine. Will you fly us back?" She asked while turning around.

She never really needed to ask. He motioned towards his back with a thumb and she complied. Wrapping her feminine, yet powerful arms around the Saiyan's neck she gave a nod indicating she was ready to leave. Bardock slowly levitated off the ground before picking up speed and flying in the direction of Magnolia.

The pair of Fairy Tail members had left while unbeknownst to them, they were being observed by several parties of interest. Behind the scenes, moves were being made and new enemies were waiting in to appear.

* * *

 **A/N: So finally done! Man that was daunting!**

 **So yes, Bardock answered questions posed by the Council. But this wasn't the chapter I was aiming for, at least not entirely. I wanted Bardock to keep key details to himself as to not paint himself as a threat to the public. On top of that, Bardock isn't telling his life story here, he's giving them general information for the record while letting the Council gauge if he's a threat to the public at all. No doubt, some of what was said in the courtroom will reach certain people. Who you may ask? I won't leave out the possibility of the Guild Masters knowing or even the Wizard Saints but I know the Council will inform the Royal Family for sure, not much of a spoiler there.**

 **Although Erza herself is not perfect, she does have reasonable grounds to not trust Bardock. I myself don't know the body count he had in his time in Frieza's army but my best estimate is between 2-4 million people (Possibly over 5 million). Take into account he and his team sometimes went Great Ape means greater devastation to a well populated area. All that said, Bardock is a warrior through and through. He was a soldier, a damned good one who followed his orders to the letter. Disobeying orders meant death so it was more than just following the instincts in his Saiyan blood. Deep down I believe there is some remorse for the lives he took but he would probably just say he wouldn't change a thing. His past is what ultimately defined him, for better and for worse. He's moving forward with that mindset and the rest of Fairy Tail will ultimately see that.**

 **So there's another project in the works. I don't know how many of you are big time Mecha anime/manga fans but I hope you will like it when I get around to doing it. I've read and re-read what are arguably the best Gundam stories on the site done by the brilliant authors operation meteor and Aldaeus, which inspired me to put things in motion in making Gundam stories of my own. However, this time around I'll try my hand at bringing Universal Century characters into the starring role. But how long before I can get a chapter up for this project? Time can only tell given I have three main projects for the site going on right now. But when the time comes to finally get the first chapter, I assure you all it will be worth the wait.**

 **If you haven't checked my profile out or heard the recent news, I have adopted Slayers of DxD. This story was originally done by Crossover Wizard Master before dude923 took over as author of the story. I love the story dude923 did and I'm sure a lot of you guys thought the story had potential to be great if it were to be continued. Now the role of author falls to me and I've already posted a somewhat decent prologue. My version of 'Slayers of DxD' is for old fans and new fans of both Fairy Tail and High School DxD. Hence the reason I started with a basic prologue as a basis for the story going forward. There is a poll on my profile that I will keep open until the second week of December roughly that will decide which version of the story you, the readers, want to see done. I encourage all who read that story and this one to go vote on the poll. Choose wisely my friends (*Commence evil laugh*)! Seriously though, the voting is getting interesting and I'm loving it! Before I move on let me address something… given that it is DxD, many of you read my A/N from the previous chapter. This story will likely be my sole exception when it comes to Harems and how I treat Issei. But if I'm doing a harem, I will do it the right way and in a tasteful way. As far as Issei goes… I'll treat him fairly. No promises though.**

 **Next time… this is probably a chapter many of you have been waiting for. This isn't some heavyweight showdown but it is big nonetheless. Bardock is meeting both Laxus and Mystogan in the next chapter. Not only that, Bardock will be taking a job that ties into the Galuna Island arc. That job will be bringing in one of the first foes from Universe 7. You heard me! Bardock gets to fight foes from the DBZ series for the first time in the story since the Prologue!**

 **Bardock's Move Set [Updated]:**

 **Full Power Energy Wave**

 **Riot Javelin/ Final Spirit Cannon**

 **Power Ball**

 **Final Revenger**

 **Super Energy Wave Volley**

 **Rebellion Spear**

 **Vortex Crusher**

 **Spirit of Saiyans (In Progress)**

 **Explosive Wave**

 **Kiai (Technically New)**

 **Meteor Combination (Technically New)**

 **Great Ape [Transformation]**

 **Kamehameha (In Progress)**

 **Solar Flare (In Progress)**

 **Spirit Ball (In Progress)**

 **Apologies for the long author's notes but I had to get some things off my chest. Special thanks to the readers and authors who took the time to read both this story and the Slayers of DxD Reboot. More thanks to those who favorited and followed both stories. You guys rock! More updates and new chapters will come your way!**

 **See ya later!**


	12. Laxus and Mystogan

**A/N: Back by popular demand! (Or so I tell myself Lol)**

 **Anyways, I'm back with another chapter and I hope you guys are ready. Some questions on what you guys think was (and is) going to happen in this chapter will be answered. Well not really given I mostly told you but that wasn't a real spoiler there. We all knew this day would come eventually. But before we move on I need to address two things.**

 **1) Although I have pairing bias and have romance as one of the main categories for this story, romance isn't the biggest focus here. Yes, there will be mentions and clear displays of who is with who and all the lovey dovey stuff they do. But the romance is rather limited to an extent (Don't worry you'll get your feel of all things mushy). In addition to that, I have pairings that are non-negotiable and pairings that are a bit creative. Here are the people that don't have a determined pairing so far (Well I got ideas but I'll never tell):**

 **Erza**

 **Mira**

 **Laxus**

 **I have reasons as to why I deviated those three from their usual pairings and some others but that's for later in the story. I will update you guys with the pairings list and spoilers are on my profile page as to who the first three are. You guys may not like it and I respect all of your opinions but I stand by my story and how I do things. However, just because of the way I do the pairings doesn't mean it should discourage you at all from seeing where this story goes. I said I would treat you to the best story I could give you and I meant it.**

 **2) Ah song selection… there will be songs sprinkled here and there in select chapters only. I don't have BGM, soundtracks or songs in general for every fight. And honestly I thought the song used in the prologue was fitting. It was more for nostalgia than anything, especially if you love DBZ and have seen most of the movies. That and if Bardock deserved a proper battle theme… that one from the prologue would be one of them.**

 **Now those two things are out the way, I feel better. Don't you?**

 **Character interaction is one of the things I feel is the best part of a story because of the mix of personalities. They especially standout more in Crossovers and I have enjoyed going back to re-read certain stories saying to myself "He/She would do something like that" or "He hijacked canon and did this awesome thing". So I thank everyone who is enjoying Bardock interacting with Fairy Tail (and others) so far. I can probably guess some of you weren't thrilled about the idea of him joining the top guild in the Kingdom but never fear! He's still the same guy and he's still awesome. He just has to put up with a bunch of fruitcakes when he's not committed to training almost every day.**

 **Lastly, shoutout to one of my reviewers for pointing out a key detail from the last chapter. Although Bardock didn't give a definite number, I gave an estimation that, when you think about it is off by a good margin. Being in the Planet Trade Organization and working for Frieza, Bardock and his squad likely traveled to a dozen worlds or so that had populations that could be less than or greater than the number of people inhabiting Earth. So we're likely talking that Bardock was responsible for the kill count in the low billions that included people of different races. It could be less, it could be more but all I know is… going forward that will be a 'popular' subject of conversation when the guild asks about it.**

 **Oh… go check out the Trailers for the new Mortal Kombat game and the new Avengers movie coming out in April! (P.S. Godzilla King of the Monsters on May 31** **st** **go see it!)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

 **Welp let's hop right in!**

* * *

 **Magnolia**

 **Nighttime**

Bardock and Erza flew back in relative silence. The redhead knight would have admitted to enjoying the trip back if it weren't for the company. She also considered telling the master of what she had heard in the courtroom during their dealings with the Council, if he hasn't heard about it already. Although Bardock was now a valued member of the guild, she was going to be watching him like a hawk. Everyone in the guild had their fair share of secrets but not one in such extreme cases as this.

The Saiyan Rebel dropped the Fairy Queen off at Fairy Hills and both bid each other a quick 'Goodnight'. Erza was lucky none of the girls were up to pester her about coming back with the still relatively new recruit. Her mood was still sour even with the refreshing experience of being able to fly in the clouds. That whole trip gave her time to process everything that's happened in the past few days. She came back home to assemble a team for a mission of the utmost importance. Her original plans were to bring in Natsu and Gray for support. The duo of fire and ice may have been rivals but in reality they still had the synergy of close friends, if not brothers. Happy was a given since he was Natsu's partner and Erza knew he'd be a credit to the team given his non-combat qualities. And lastly there was Lucy… she could hold her own somewhat, even if that spirit she summoned was a bit on the odd side. Plus during the party after Eisenwald's defeat, Happy had revealed to everyone a new spirit wanted to make a contract with the pretty blonde… after said spirit broke the contract with Duke Everlue. Of course Erza dealt swift punishment to Happy for stealing but allowed Lucy to keep the key. Lucy proceeded to make a contract then and there with the Celestial Spirit Virgo, a pretty pink haired maid with a weird (odd would be more fitting) fetish for punishment and one of the 12 zodiac spirits. Another invaluable member to the team would be taken into account. Although Lucy lacked the sheer tenacity for fighting, she more than made up for it in brains and fighting spirit, no pun intended.

Mira had even suggested to her the day after that they were Fairy Tail's strongest team. Especially since he tagged along. Which brought Erza back to now… what should she think of Bardock other than him being untrustworthy? He was somehow telling the truth about who he was and what power he possessed without giving concrete details. It made absolutely zero sense and yet for some odd reason she believed him. What had her on edge was the scarce details of his past which involved being the military and having an insane body count that measured beyond the population of the planet. Just what the hell was he thinking! It still infuriated her that he had been so casual about it. She even questioned as to if he killed women, children and the elderly. But she couldn't let her thoughts drift that deep into the abyss… especially since her own past wasn't exactly pretty.

The Knight resigned herself to showering and preparing for bed. Before going to sleep she decided to indulge herself in a novel as she reflected on the other things that were a result of the trial. For her part in saving the guild masters but having part in the destruction of various property, she was fined 450,000 Jewel. She remarked how low it was and the Council members told her that it was lowered due to the fact neighboring towns and the guild masters pitched in when dealing with the damages. But what really caught her attention was the fate of Eisenwald guild and Lullaby. The Etherious known as Lullaby was completely annihilated when Bardock fought it/him. No trace of the flute or the demon in its true form remained. Almost all of the members of Eisenwald were arrested and given prison time, with the lightest sentence being received by Kageyama. The only member that wasn't accounted for when Eisenwald was taken into custody was the guild's ace… Erigor. Not only had he cheated death in a fight with Fairy Tail's alien badass, he had somehow escaped when Erza had focused her groups efforts on stopping Kageyama from killing the guild masters. The self-proclaimed Shinigami, who even had enemy and ally regarding him as such, was in no shape to move and needed immediate medical attention. Which begs the obvious question that needed to be answered… did a Dark Guild somehow rescue Erigor during the chaos created by his subordinate?

Releasing another sigh, Erza found a good stopping point in her book. She was reading a romance novel that was mixed with a little bit of suspense and mystery. The redhead always prided herself in solving riddles and finding clues in major crimes when the job required it. And she was going to need every bit of her inner detective to solve the enigma that was Bardock, alien warrior and Fairy Tail's newest member. Letting her head sink into the pillow, the Fairy Queen found herself going into a relatively peaceful slumber, leaving her worries and suspicions for another day.

Back with Fairy Tail's alien resident… Bardock proceeded back to his claimed stomping grounds and again setup camp for the night. Before doing so though, another package had just come in.

( _"Him again. What does he have for me this time?"_ )

Picking up and inspecting the package, the warrior found nothing that would signal a trap or some sort of sick joke. He opened it and found something he never expected. There with another scroll was a small case filled with tiny capsules. Wait a minute… what?

( _"The hell is this?"_ )

Bardock figured he could get some clarification reading the scroll so that's exactly what he did. Suffice to say, what he found surprised him.

( _"So these capsules are pocket storage for items such as food, clothing or even housing? Incredible…"_ )

Incredible may have been a bit of an understatement but he was impressed to a good measure. Don't get it twisted, Bardock was a soldier and a Saiyan warrior meaning he had brains to a degree but not that type of brains where he would be better suited in a lab. During his time as a soldier, he had been invited to his fair share of laboratories which ranged from ultra-clean think tanks to somewhat raving mad scientists. Saiyan society, even when brought into Frieza's ever growing empire, made key breakthroughs in medicine, tech and agriculture. But, as with any societies they fell short in some areas when trying to reach key goals that could benefit their race. On top of that, there were highly classified advances that were either discarded in secret or commandeered at Frieza's command when he got word of it.

See there's another reason why Bardock hated the cold ruler. Sometimes during shore leave, Bardock received word from his superiors that entire science teams or certain individuals within the R&D community would just go missing without a trace just as they were on the verge of new breakthrough. He gave them a sound theory saying Frieza and his loyalists were involved and his superiors were inclined to believe him. Unfortunately, they could do nothing without solid proof and had no power to really stop Frieza if they came to blows.

It pissed him off to know end how far Frieza would go to satisfy his ever growing paranoia. Not even Saiyan scientists were safe. Who was next? The Butchers and meat plant workers? Hospital staff and medics? In the end it didn't matter because Frieza wiped them all out anyways, despite Bardock's best efforts to at least delay the inevitable.

So in conclusion, Bardock wished Saiyans came up with this stuff too and envied his son for having an ally with these kinds of resources. No, not ally… friend.

( _"I wonder how that guy was able to get his hands on stuff like this? Guess I'll ask if I ever find a way out of here… or if he allows me to see him."_ )

Thanks to his dreams and visions, Bardock was well caught up on the adventures of his son and his son's friends. Each of them were unique in their own way, including his son's wife. Which brought up another thought…

( _"I pray to any god out there that she isn't as annoying as I think she'll be."_ )

Shoving that thought aside, Bardock decided to test each of the capsules to pass the time before getting some necessary shut eye. Within the case there were 12 total capsules each with different numbers and a different purpose. Half of them he discovered were dedicated to providing clothing and armor, which would be handy in the long run. The next capsule he tested out contained a mini fridge that doubled as a transportable cooler. To his surprise he found some beer bottles inside along with some fruit, which to some would be an odd combination for fridge contents. He didn't complain though and drank one for the road as he continued to test out the rest of the capsules.

One capsule was dedicated to accessories… another capsule dedicated to items and supplies, which would be useful… and then there were three capsules left.

The first of the trio was a small housing unit, nothing special. The house was setup with a master bedroom, a main bathroom with the addition of a guest bathroom near the living area, a kitchen, a laundry room and some closets spread out throughout. Overall, despite the modern build the building itself had a cozy feel to it. There was some nostalgia that took him back to the old days living with Gine before and after both of their sons were born. It really did feel like home. It was then and there, Bardock decided to leave the house standing as is. If the manual read correctly, Capsule Houses were installed with standard security measures and luckily for Bardock, his ally likely had someone modify security to include additional features to ensure his privacy.

The second of the three capsules was a big shock to the Saiyan. When smoke cleared, sitting before Bardock was a fully functional and upgraded Saiyan Pod. He couldn't help the eager grin that grew on his roguish face. It was like celebrating a birthday and "fun" time with Gine… well almost. In all honesty nothing could beat the memories he made with his wife and not just in the "fun" way. The Saiyan inspected the outer hull of the pod before inspecting the interior. He had found out that the air supply was increased while also discovering extra compartments for supplies and a SERE kit. Humming in satisfaction, he decided to store the pod back into the capsule.

He was almost done and so far he was well satisfied with what he had been gifted with. If only the Saiyans had access to this Capsule technology… the possibilities were endless. But he didn't want to dwell on that topic again tonight. So, pressing the top of the capsule, Bardock then threw it towards the ground before a smoke cloud even bigger than his new house popped up.

And once the smoke cleared, Bardock's eyes widened a considerable degree and his jaw was agape. Were his eyes playing tricks on him for real this time? Was this truly real? He picked up the manual before flipping through countless pages, arriving at the page that talked about this specific Capsule… oh yeah it was real. Slowly taking the manual from his face, Bardock looked to his shiny new toy with a glint often found when a Saiyan finds something exciting. His training was about to be taken up a notch and he couldn't help but grin like a maniac.

* * *

 **The Following Day**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

 **Morning**

The guild was relieved to have both Erza and Bardock back without having to deal with any extra grief from the Magic Council. Of course, some of the more prominent members picked up on a bit of tension between the two when both of them had somewhat of a menacing stare down not long after Bardock entered later that morning. Mira was able to mediate between the two by serving them food and distracting them from whatever dispute they were about to continue. It made the barmaid wonder what went wrong between her fellow guild mates yesterday and why they were acting so coldly towards one another.

Gray was just glad the Council didn't punish his guild mates or his guild too severely. But he felt intimidated and downright frightened when Bardock had his staring contest with Erza sporting a gaze that downright sent a shiver down his spine. He was an Ice mage for crying out loud, he doesn't get cold! He thanked his lucky stars when Mira intervened. Whatever issues Erza and Bardock had, he hoped they weren't bad to a point they would come to blows. The amateur stripper hoped the guild and everyone in it would last if his prayers weren't answered.

The trio of Natsu, Lucy and Happy were relieved and quite joyous at the return of their friends. Lucy of course was worried why Bardock and Erza went from allies and possible friends to adversaries in one day. The Celestial Mage was quickly putting pieces together and trying her best to think of a solution to help remedy the brewing tension between her friends. She may not have been a Fairy Tail member long but she would do her best to keep her friends from fighting for something other than fun.

Natsu and Happy on the other hand…

"HA-HA-HA see I knew they wouldn't be in trouble!"

"Aye sir!"

Were being themselves and being the happy-go-lucky fools they were known for. Currently, most of Fairy Tail's strongest team was gathered at a table with the two goofballs being the life of the party. Lucy and Gray sat on one side, Happy sat on the table chewing on a fish he magically got from nowhere and Natsu was standing laughing like a hyena.

"No you didn't moron. Quit lying to yourself, you were saying something different yesterday while you were sulking." Gray commented as he flipped through a magazine.

Oddly enough Natsu ignored his rival as he cackled and ran around in a happy frenzy, much to the annoyance of some of the guild.

Lucy somewhat wished that Natsu tried to go after Bardock and Erza yesterday just to see him locked up for a bit. There were no negative intentions behind this thought but she just wanted the young man to calm himself down and not irritate everyone else. Just another day at Fairy Tail, she surmised.

Meanwhile, over at the bar was the ever so lovely barmaid, the Master, the redhead knight and of course the guild's resident Badass alien. Makarov had picked up on the tension between one of his newest members and one of his best and brightest quickly, so he just came down as he usually did only this time to insure nothing happened. So the seating arrangement was Makarov, who was at the end of the bar closest to the stairs that accessed the Second Floor. And in the middle were Bardock and Erza who separated themselves by one seat. As for Mira, she took up her usual position manning the bar with her usual smile. Both patrons just sat there in a calmed silence. That all changed with one question.

"So… do we know who officially won between Natsu and Erza?" Elfman prompted.

With his sensitive Dragon hearing, Natsu spun on his heel and put on his battle face.

"Oh yeah! Time to finish what we started Erza!"

With a loud roar, he charged towards his intended target, hoping to finish the fight from yesterday. However, the young redhead knight was drained a bit from yesterday and preferred to take it easy for a bit. Within the span of almost a week, she had already spent a good amount of time: carrying a building-sized souvenir, beat a dark guild, fight Natsu and travel to see the Council for what was essentially a farce. Even though she was a strong, well-conditioned mage she had her limits. Even with all the rest she got, she was tired and as much as she loved her little brother… she was a bit irritable.

The young knight spared a glance over to the alien man a seat away, silently hoping he would intervene, despite her reservations about him. She watched as he closed his eyes and smirked.

"All yours." Bardock grunted out.

She gave him a neutral stare before standing up from her seat.

"Very well then." She said in response.

Just as Natsu was about to get a shot in, Erza summoned a hammer before performing a wicked underhand swing… and knocking the resident fire breather out in one strike. The force of the blow sent him over the table where Elfman had joined Lucy and Gray, with the only thing stopping Natsu's momentum was a wall. Luckily the wall held and the Dragon Slayer slid down, unconscious and in all likelihood nursing his pride later.

Bardock merely shook his head at this. The boy showed great promise as a powerful mage yet for him to be knocked out in one shot was just embarrassing. Sure him and the buxom redhead were just fighting for kicks but still… you simply don't get a one shot ass kicking handed to you on a big ass silver platter. Several members of the guild made remarks at Natsu's expense while Lucy just sighed out of exasperation.

Bardock stood up, ready to go have a quick chat with the old man before taking a few jobs to help pay off his fine. Then out of the blue Makarov's eyes started to squeeze as if he were about to doze off… odd.

"Master?" Mira prompted with a raised brow.

He gave a somewhat cryptic response.

"He's here."

*Thump*

*Thud*

Suddenly every single member of the guild dropped like flies hit with bug spray, not of the cheap variety. Poor Mira even fell and the young girl had nothing and no one to break her fall. And things got worse when sudden fatigue and weariness hit Bardock. His right hand slammed open palm on the surface of the bar as he stood slightly hunched over.

( _"What the hell… I'm feeling… tired?"_ )

It was just like that time… before Planet Meat… before his team… and Dodoria… and… him. He shook his head clearing the gathering cobwebs.

( _"Screw this!"_ )

His head tilted up and his face was twisted into an irritated scowl. The Saiyan's senses alerted him to the fact someone was still standing, walking towards the doors. He quickly figured this person was responsible for putting everyone to sleep so he quickly introduced himself in a way he only knew how. He let his aura flare a little before phasing out then back in blocking the person's path.

As Bardock stood there he got a good luck at what appeared to be some sort of mystery man. Said mystery man wore a navy blue cloak, strange baggy pants, a forest green bandana to cover most of his face leaving the eyes visible and a blue hat that tucked away his hair presumably. The strangest thing about this man was the bandages that covered his arms and legs along with the numerous staves on his back. To the resident Saiyan this was an intruder, but to Fairy Tail and Makarov especially this was Mystogan, S-Class Mage and a candidate for strongest in the guild.

Mystogan of course hid his surprise well when he saw Bardock disappear then reappear out of nowhere. He regarded him with a calculated gaze and a slight tilt of his head.

"And who are you?" He asked, voicing mainly curiosity.

The Saiyan Rebel let his aura flare out some more while he flexed his fingers.

"Bardock." He responded as he narrowed his eyes.

Again the mystery man looked Bardock up and down while humming in thought. The Saiyan didn't detect any ill-intent, even though he could be wrong. He was still technically new to the whole sensing of killing intent from someone. Bardock was usually used to kill first, ask questions never.

"A new member?" Mystogan further inquired.

This was confusing as hell in Bardock's opinion. He really wanted to put this guy in the most painful hold possible to get some info but instead, he dropped his aura and relaxed a little. The Saiyan was still on guard because he didn't know what this new guy was going to do, so he still wasn't taking any chances.

"Something like that." He responed with a raised brow.

"Let him through Bardock. He's one of us."

The sound of Makarov's voice brought his attention to the old man who was still struggling to stay awake. Guess being a Wizard Saint isn't just for show. Regardless, he complied with the request and stepped to the side to allow Mystogan to pass. As the mystery mage was walking by him…

( _"He's not as strong as he looks. Something's off."_ )

Bardock instantly knew this guy wasn't as strong as he looked. He got a good feel for everyone's energy even though they didn't use Ki like he did. Of course they couldn't detect any magic in him since he didn't use it but his power could give off an overwhelming pressure when he powered up a considerable degree. Anyways, the point was, this guy managed to knock out everyone in the guild with what was likely a spell or series of spells and yet it was odd when Bardock got his read on his energy. It was the weirdest damn thing and before he could dwell on the thought more…

"Mystogan… at least take the sleeping spell off."

His eyes widened a bit at that order. This was Mystogan?

"Of course."

Bardock regained his composure and crossed his arms. His Saiyan pride had taken a small hit and on top of that, he still had training to do. He had bigger things to worry about than some coward who others actually respected for his so called strength and magic prowess. That's right. Bardock didn't like Mystogan one bit and wasn't happy at the fact he couldn't properly gauge his so called "power" for himself. In reality, Bardock wanted to humble Mystogan in the worst ways possible.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1…" Mystogan trailed off before suddenly vanishing.

The Saiyan Rebel looked around and saw everyone coming to. He admitted that spell must've been a nasty one… but it had no power over a man who could fight a tyrant that blew up an entire planet. The first to say anything of significance was the resident Script Mage.

"A sleep spell… was it him again?" Levy uttered still trying to wake up.

Next came the Celestial Wizard.

"Okay what was that? And can someone please wake up Natsu." Lucy requested sluggishly.

Luckily the one who responded to that request was the little lovable fur ball who sleepily walked over to his adoptive dad.

"I'm on it Lucy." Happy said as he started shaking Natsu's arm.

"That was Mystogan." Gray replied.

Lucy looked over to gray, still rubbing the haze out of her eyes. Bardock walked over and stood at the head of the table Gray and Lucy were at.

"Who's Mystogan?" Bardock interrupted, feigning interest.

The Saiyan already met Mystogan and to that end he didn't care much about the guy. He just figured he try and get some information, if anything. But given the mystery mage's secrecy that was unlikely.

"Mystogan is one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail. In fact you can say he could be in the running for the top mage in the guild, like you are." Gray explained.

( _"I wanna call Bullshit on that one kid. I'm already stronger than everyone here, including him."_ )

"Mystogan, myself and several others are the guild's S-Class mages. When he comes for a job request, he puts everyone to sleep in an effort to keep his anonymity." Erza added.

"Wow… sounds a little shady though." Lucy said.

( _"If the bastard wants to put me to sleep, he can do it the old fashion way. And on top of that he isn't anywhere near as strong as some of the others. How in knee hell is he S-Class?"_ ) Bardock thought slightly agitated.

"Master is the only one who's seen Mystogan." Erza said.

( _"Again… Bullshit."_ )

"That's not true."

( _"I knew I felt something. He's up there on the second floor."_ ) Bardock thought as he uncrossed his arms and turned to the source of the words spoken.

"No way!" A guild member shouted.

"It's him!" Another guild member exclaimed.

"Laxus…" Natsu uttered rising off the wall..

"Because there are now three people here who have seen Mystogan. And you're looking at one of em." Laxus said cockily as he pointed a thumb at himself.

( _"Laxus eh?"_ ) Bardock thought as he walked forward.

He got a good look at the young man on the second floor and needless to say… it was like dealing with Saiyan Elites and Saiyan royalty all over again. The punk was tall, had a lightning shaped scar over his right eye, spikey blonde hair, dressed up with slacks or jeans, dark gold shirt with a black pattern and… the gaudiest fur trimmed coat which the man wore like a cloak or cape. Laxus' aura downright reeked with arrogance and superiority which was a bit sickening.

( _"Yep. Definitely like dealing with the King and those Elitist pricks."_ )

"Laxus! Come down here and fight me!" Natsu yelled jumping up right beside Bardock.

Wow.

( _"Kid really does remind me of Saiyans sometimes. So damn similar it's a bit odd to say the least."_ ) Bardock mused as he spared Natsu a quick glance.

"I ain't interested in a weakling like you Natsu." Laxus sneered.

"Why you…!" Natsu growled out through his teeth.

To this the scarred blonde let out a mocking laugh, one that was giving Bardock annoying flashbacks. Laxus crossed his arms and couldn't help but grin like a madman.

"But I am interested in your new friends there. Especially that little blonde number right there." Laxus stated as he pointed over to Lucy.

In all honesty someone should have seen that coming a mile away. Bardock had seen Laxus' type before, he wasn't all that impressed. Natsu quickly got into a protective stance of the now standing blonde who he had grown attached to.

"You stay away from her!" Natsu seethed in rage.

Bardock had to give the young Dragon Slayer some credit… he didn't back down from protecting a comrade and potential mate. Of course he was the only one who thought that since everyone else was paying attention to the pompous bastard on the second floor.

"Natsu…" Lucy muttered in surprise.

"Oh I'm sorry! What are you going to do about it… pinky?" Laxus goaded.

( _"This punk is starting to piss me off. Even so, better keep Natsu in check before he does something stupid."_ ) Bardock thought keeping his eyes locked on the second floor.

"Oh that is it!" Natsu exclaimed, finally ready to fight.

Bardock extended his arm, stopping Natsu in his tracks. Natsu was in no mood for it and looked at his friend for answers.

"What are you doing?! Let me go!" Natsu more or less demanded.

"Natsu…" Bardock uttered not looking back.

By the tone in his friend's voice, he already knew any impending argument was lost. Natsu had history with Laxus, like most of the more senior members of the guild. Him, the Strauss', Erza, Cana, Gray and obviously the Master had grew up with the young man with a lightning scar. They all knew what Laxus was like before and what he eventually grew into now. The son of Igneel never hated Laxus but he had a strong dislike for him due to his ego and how often he put down members of the guild. And Bardock easily picked up that history, knowing very well he needed to step in before the Guild Hall was sporting a new makeover.

"Stand back." Bardock sternly commanded.

Any argument Natsu wanted to make died right there. If anyone could take Laxus other than the master and the only other man he could call his mentor… it was his newest comrade in arms.

"Dammit. Fine…" Natsu said reluctantly.

Natsu stood tall and crossed his arms, clearly more than irritable than ever. But when he felt feminine hand come to place on his right shoulder, the salmon haired mage turned to see the appreciative and caring smile of Lucy Heartfillia. He shot her a small smile in return… then together they both decided to glare at Laxus afterwards. How cute.

"Now that the distraction is out of the way… who the hell are you newbie?"

The people closest to him gave him wary and uneasy glances, slightly worried over the Saiyan's safety, which included Erza. She may not have liked his past and she knew how strong he was given he held back so far but she honestly was hoping it wasn't all a bluff.

"The name's Bardock."

"Bardock eh? I hope you aren't like Erza, Natsu and those other weaklings down there."

"Weaklings?" Bardock asked quirking a brow.

"That's right."

"And I'm guessing that makes you what exactly?" Bardock inquired further, letting his brow settle into place.

"I guess seeing how you're new here you don't understand how this goes so let me explain it to you." Laxus began.

"I'm the strongest one here. Don't believe all that horse crap about following your own path or building bonds. All that matters is strength and power. Tin Can, She-Demon, that drunk bitch Cana…"

"Hey!" Cana yelled offended.

Bardock extended his other arm this time to keep Cana back. She backed down of course but she was rather not happy with the way Laxus thought of her… even though everyone knew he was one of if not the biggest jackass in all of Earth Land.

"The midget bookworm, the ugly stripper, that blonde bimbo and most of all…"

The Saiyan didn't have to turn around to feel the heated glares of Levy, Gray and Lucy. This pointless rant was pissing him off and what was about to be said was going to be the last straw.

"That pink haired runt behind you are all weak. They can't compare to me and they never will." Laxus finished.

"If that's the case what about Mystogan? Or me?" Bardock inquired

"You look like a smart man, you figure it out."

"Okay then…" Bardock trailed off.

Bardock took a few more steps forward and then stopped.

( _"Uh-oh…"_ ) Natsu thought as he unconsciously backed up.

"Here's my response you arrogant bastard." Bardock retorted through gritted teeth.

"What did you just-"

Laxus words were caught in his throat as what happened next shook the whole guild to their core. Bardock ignited his aura, his hair started to more or less blow upwards, small tremors ran throughout the guild as Bardock's power increased.

( _"The hell is this?!"_ ) Laxus internally panicked while externally his mouth was slightly agape.

The Saiyan's aura continued flare up and bits of static were going off around him. Everyone stood wide-eyed, their gazes fixed on a man who dared challenge the cocky S-Class mage standing on the top floor.

Bardock kept a lock on his target and decided to teach Laxus a little lesson in humility. He flew up, vaulted over the railing and with one punch to the gut, sent the mighty Laxus to both knees gasping for air.

( _"Damn… I felt a punch from him before. If anyone deserved that one it was definitely Laxus."_ ) Natsu thought slightly smirking.

( _"I hoped he was bluffing about his power… but this is insane!"_ ) Erza sweatdropped in shock.

( _"Seriously, where did Flame-brain meet this guy?! He's strong enough to take on someone like Laxus!"_ ) Gray thought too shocked to even move.

"Listen up punk, I'm only going to make myself clear this one time."

Laxus clinched his gut and struggled to look up at the man who was towering over him.

"Those 'weaklings' down there are my comrades. They're strong and some have the potential to be stronger than you."

The initial shock of Bardock's quick attack wore off quick as everyone listened intently to the words of the rebel who brought down Laxus.

"The fact that you boast about strength and power makes you look weak. I've dealt with your kind before punk and believe me you don't want to go down that road with me."

Bardock squatted down and grasped the still wounded Laxus by the shirt and looked him dead in his eyes.

"I personally don't care if you're a member of this guild… the minute you slip up I will end you. Got it?" He threatened as he narrowed his eyes.

"Bardock! Off the Second Floor now!" Makarov demanded in irritation.

With a click of his tongue, Bardock complied and let Laxus go. Before vaulting over the railing, he glanced over his shoulder and gave Laxus a bit of a friendly heads up.

"Remember punk, I got my eyes on you. Be seeing ya."

He leaped over the railing and glided his way to a soft landing amongst a crowd who shared mixed reactions… classic shock and awe.

Jet and Droy looked on with admiration mixed with some jealousy. Understandable seeing how much they wanted to impress the bluenette in their group.

Elfman gave what amounted to a manly flex of the arm combined with a thumbs up for approval. Must have had personal history with Laxus based on that reaction. Of course, Bardock probably read too much into it.

Cana and Levy gave appreciative smiles. He wasn't chivalrous by any means, hell he told the same thing to Gine a few times. But he wasn't going to let the insults to both these young women go unpunished. That and he didn't want to owe anyone a damn thing.

Gray was smirking after recovering from his moment of shock. The Ice mage should have not underestimated Bardock's awesome power and freakish strength. Probably won't ever do it again. So as Bardock caught the young raven haired teen's gaze, he got a nod of approval and respect.

Erza's face held a neutral expression but her eyes took a shine sending him a message of respect. Apparently the Redhead, despite her grievances with him, could respect him still even with his past. She still didn't trust him but the respect was enough for him.

The trio of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were giving off smiles of appreciation and admiration. There was a swell of pride there given these three were the first he could call comrades in this new world. He hoped they wouldn't react too badly to his past when the time came to tell them everything… but he could worry about that later.

And lastly came Mira… who wore a stern expression while smiling.

( _"Wonder what's up with her?"_ )

He approached the bar and sat down, signaling to everyone else that they should likely go about their business. However, that didn't stop the murmurs about the Saiyan's bold stunt as well as the usual guild business concerning jobs. The white haired barmaid tending to the bar brought Bardock his usual, water and the best brew available.

"You shouldn't have done that." Mira lightly admonished.

He responded with a chuckle. She was worried about him too eh? Bardock could spot multiple girls within the guild that had similar traits to his wife but the one who represented it best was Mira. Main reason why they got along so well, her spirit was so much like Gine it was uncanny.

"Sorry Mira but he had it coming. Cocky punk needed to be knocked down a peg and no one else was willing to do it. Might as well be me right?" He prompted with a smirk.

She let out a faux sigh of exasperation before shaking her head amusedly. And Natsu was supposed to be the most troublesome one to deal with. Oh well, she didn't mind doing her best to try and keep Bardock out of any trouble.

"Oh my, whatever are we going to do with you?"

"I can think of a few things."

Both turned their heads to see Makarov walk over and take a seat facing away from them.

"Although I hate to admit it… thank you for dealing with him." Makarov said with a serious expression.

Hated to admit it? Bardock figured being the master of the guild would mean you keep guys in check if they ever got out of hand. Plus he wanted to know what the deal with being on the second floor was?

"Sure." He replied.

The old master adopted a softer expression and sighed before looking up to where the second floor was. No doubt, that lightning scarred mage was stewing miserably at being humiliated by a new member. But Makarov figured it was going to happen eventually. Laxus was a powerhouse with the potential to surpass him as a Wizard within a few years, but the young man let all the power go to his head. Between his promiscuous activities with women in his travels to the fact he and his posse rarely liked to associate themselves with members of the guild, the Wizard Saint saw so much potential being wasted. Sure he believed in having fun and living a full life but that wouldn't mean a thing if you weren't capable of having the power to defend the life you build and the life of others.

"Sadly though I doubt he'll get your message. That boy is far too stubborn and overconfident for his own good."

"Aren't you curious where he gets it from Master?" Mira asked with a knowing smile.

"Very funny Mira dear." Makarov deadpanned in response.

She giggled at this because she knew that the master knew this was true.

"So you guys have history with him?" Bardock asked.

The two stopped their banter and shared a look. Mira's smile was gone replaced by a neutral frown while Makarov kept his expression the same. He gave the girl a supporting nod before she looked down at the counter with a saddened look.

"Laxus and I dated when we were a bit younger. It was by the time I had become an S-Class. In all honestly it felt like so long ago…" She said with a sad smile.

Wait a minute…

( _"Dating?"_ )

Bardock didn't exactly have grasp at the concept of dating. Sure, if you like someone and find them attractive, you take the person as a mate, possibly even a step further making them a spouse. Hell that's what happened with him and Gine so it should have been as simple as that. Why go through all this unnecessary drama of something like dating? You could eat food and enjoy the scenery anytime you want without the extra effort. Then again, the Saiyan never was the romantic type. Saiyans? Romantic? Please! The majority of the Saiyans cared about eating, fighting and sex in that order. Then again… he's still learning about humans and human culture. He wondered if his son had this much difficulty understanding humans. Given what he saw from his dreams and visions, that was likely the case.

"Anyways, his attitude change was one of the reasons why we ended things. I've been working on trying to reconnect as friends but…"

"It's alright Mira, you don't have to say anything else. We understand." Makarov interrupted with a comforting tone.

Mira shot a grateful glance towards the old man. He's been in charge of the guild for so long and only wants the best for his children. He offered her and her siblings a chance to come to the guild and utilize their magic potential for something greater.

"Thank you Master." Mira said with a lighter smile.

Bardock turned his gaze from Mira to Makarov hoping to get some more information. He was already forming ideas as to what some of these connections to Laxus meant.

"As for me well…"

Makarov closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and averting eye contact with Bardock.

"Laxus is my Grandson. As you can probably tell there's a story there too, much of it involving his father."

What. The. Hell?

That arrogant piece of trash with the gaudy coat was Makarov's grandson? Sure, Bardock could see a bit of the resemblance and even felt the power comparison between the two. But in all honesty, he didn't expect the connection to be something like that. Which brought up a certain thought that hasn't crossed his mind since the vision he had…

Radditz.

He mourned his son briefly and hoped that his humiliating death might teach him a thing or two both as a warrior and a man. He was infuriated that Radditz would stoop so low as to kidnap family. The nerve! He had a humorless chuckle at the thought of Gine whacking the kid on the head with a cooking pan in the afterlife. He hoped that being a Saiyan wouldn't automatically send his wife to Hell but who was he kidding… Saiyans had the blood of so many races it wasn't even funny. The only comfort was that they would be together.

So now that he got an idea of what Laxus was like, he couldn't help but draw comparisons to not just Saiyan Elitists but his own flesh and blood who recently passed on. He pitied Makarov to an extent having to deal with a troublemaking kid.

"I take it you guys didn't see eye to eye?"

"Among other things…" Makarov muttered.

Bardock hummed at the response. He honestly didn't have much information considering his new acquaintances. Laxus and Mystogan were S-Class mages, meaning they were qualified for the more dangerous missions that also had the hugest benefit. He thanked Levy and Mira for that bit of information when he asked about second floor access.

Mystogan was a complete unknown with the only people who have actually seen him being Makarov, Laxus and now Bardock. Hell, even his past is a mystery with the only person knowing a thing about him was Makarov. In short, the young mage was shady as hell and not as strong as people made him out to be.

Laxus on the other hand has been in the guild for a good portion, if not all of his life since he was born. Bardock surmised that Makarov's family line was a part of this guild possibly since its founding. Somewhere along the line while growing up, Laxus, Laxus' Dad and Makarov likely had a falling out of sorts. And seeing that Laxus' Dad wasn't around it didn't take long to figure the man was likely no longer part of the guild, for some reason. In addition to the family issues, Bardock had little to no clue what magic Laxus used. Given the countless magic types out there, the only way to see what type of magic he practiced was to fight him. Then again, unless there was magic that could actually impact Ki, his Saiyan physiology or even his mind, he was a powerhouse who no one could stop. His plan for Laxus would likely be some psychological warfare mixed with a pure show of power.

"Enough about the past, I have a list of recommended jobs for you in order to help pay the fine from the Council. Each of them were handpicked by Mira and myself with your best interests in mind." Makarov explained.

It was about damn time. He'd been putting off getting a job since he got here. He needed to make some sort of income so he could properly stock up on food. This is coming off the fact his pre-stocked supplies were likely to run out within a few days given his ravenous Saiyan appetite and penchant for pushing himself in training. Plus he didn't like taking advantage of Mira in any way. He owed her that much at least.

"'Preciate it old man. Anything else?" The Saiyan said with a nod.

To this response, Makarov stroked his chin while thinking. Mira looked on with her usual smile, leaving behind the sadness in their previous conversation.

"Yes. Remember to have Mira give the stamp of approval on the job or jobs you select. I know with your capabilities you can probably handle multiple with little to no difficulty."

Guess there was no time to waste then.

"Got it." He replied.

The Saiyan Rebel stood up and took the list off of Makarov's hands before heading over to the job board. The recommendations on the list were what Makarov said they would be… well suited for a Saiyan warrior. Except there was a small problem… monster hunting here would be the equivalent of exterminating vermin due to how much power he possessed. Regardless the size of the monster, Bardock would win and make easy money. So he picked out 9 jobs which were the following:

* * *

Job #1 – 30,000 Jewel

Description: Pest Control

Location: Redford Farm near Tuly Village

Job #2 – 100,000 Jewel

Description: Weretiger Hunt

Location: Onibus Town

Job #3 – 20,000 Jewel

Description: Pest Control

Location: Sawyer Farm near Oak Town

Job #4 – 100,000 Jewel

Description: Kill Dark Goblins

Location: Balsam Village

Job #5 – 50,000 Jewel

Description: Vulcan Hunt (10)

Location: Mountains

Job #6 – 200,000 Jewel

Description: Hunt Unknown Plant Based monster

Location: Oshibana Town

Job #7 – 150,000 Jewel

Description: Hunt down a pack of Wyverns (25)

Location: Mountains

Job #8 – 50,000 Jewel

Description: Vulcan Hunt (15)

Location: Mountains

Job #9 – 100,000 Jewel

Description: Kill Dark Goblins

Location: Mountains

* * *

So all in all, the jobs would total to 800,000 Jewel and with 500,000 going to the council, the remaining could be used for his food storage. Bardock truly lucked out with the recommended jobs, selecting 9 of the 13 he was given. When he finished these jobs he was going to thank the old man properly for helping him out, Mira as well.

Bardock had already familiarized himself with most of the creatures in Earth Land and their capabilities. The oddest thing that stood out in his selection were Jobs #4, #6, and #9. Apparently, Dark Goblins were Goblins corrupted by dark magic and the power possessed by Etherious demons. Dark Goblins were usually identified as having the eyes of goats, jagged teeth, bad breath, and skin color that ranged from blue to green to even a bluish grey. Dark Goblins were a tribal society that lived for one thing… survival. Unlike their pink skinned, peaceful cousins, Dark Goblins were anarchistic when it came to human interaction but that was only to an extent. Whenever Dark Goblins come upon a village, they attack at night raiding the village for food and essentials. But that's just the start of the nightmare.

See, Dark Goblins originally lived in Bosco, a country well known for corruption and slavery virtually a near lawless land. They migrated to Fiore sometime within the last year and the first incident came in May.

According to the story, a Dark Goblin horde had invaded some random village after scouting it, slaughtering livestock men, children and the elderly. And the women? They experienced a fate worse than death. It made sense in a sick way to the Saiyan. Dark Goblins were an all-male race and in order for the race to survive… desperate times, desperate measures.

But Bardock wouldn't let that happen, not on his watch. Sure he and his people were ruthless but not to that extent. Dark Goblins thought they could waltz into another country and own the place? Think again. If he had the opportunity, the resident Saiyan was going to wipe Dark Goblins off the face of the planet with no hesitation. It wouldn't be an easy task but given the opportunity he was going to hunt them down one by one. Just another thing to add to his to-do list.

The Saiyan Rebel was also curious about the unknown plant based monster, but immediately figured he could take the thing down with no issues. So he approached Mira with all the jobs in his hands and set them down. The white haired teen inspected them one by one.

"Monster hunting hm?" Mira prompted playfully.

He shook his head amusedly while she giggled at his expense. The barmaid then stamped each job approving them before handing them back to the man that would do them all.

"There you go!"

It had been an eventful morning and now that all was said and done, the Saiyan Rebel stuffed the requests into his bag before hoisting said bag over his shoulder. Now… time for some training.

"Thanks. I'll see ya around Mira." He said walking away.

"See you later Bardock!" She said with a wave.

Luckily, Bardock managed to slip out of the guild without Natsu following him. He didn't want the salmon haired teen distracting him during a time where he could get stronger and prepare for not only his first job but several jobs. Unknown to Bardock however, the Fire Dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail had other ideas on his mind. What crazy little scheme Natsu was about to execute would take a backseat to the events that would follow and the enemies that were to be revealed.

* * *

 **A/N: All done!**

 **Phew! I apologize to you all for the late update. I've been heavily distracted and had a few cases of writer's block. I finished the semester on the 10** **th** **and since then I've been working on this chapter, which turned out longer than I intended originally, along with the chapter for the Slayers of DxD reboot. But at last we are closing in on Galuna Island.**

 **Now, the next chapter will give an overview of how each job went, how Bardock deals with a certain 'issue' when the moon is out and… the first enemy from DBZ. Albeit he's a henchman but still you guys will be seeing Bardock face off against the first set of villains from Universe 7 (or some variation of it).**

 **Oh and the best part… Bardock gives his input on Natsu pulling off his little scheme. If you remember from both the manga and anime, everyone had their own little opinion, including Erza. But that part might get split off into another chapter based on how my writing of the next chapter goes.**

 **Truth is the Galuna Arc, including the next chapter should last 3 chapters, maybe 4 max.**

 **Have I talked about the chapter you just read? Nope. Do I need to? Not really but I will.**

 **To recap, Bardock met both Mystogan and Laxus. He formed his general opinion of them based on what he knows and will just keep them in mind as he goes about his business. Also, Bardock was given job recommendations, most of which he took. One of those jobs is dealing with Dark Goblins, which are just the Goblins from Goblin Slayer. Yes, I took the Goblins from Goblin Slayer and put them in here. Do they have the graphic, gritty backstory from the Goblin Slayer series? Nope. Their background has been altered somewhat for the purposes of this story and are likely to appear every now and then going forward. They are here just to be here but won't heavily impact the story.**

 **As far as the whole thing with the Capsules? It's an unknown case of copyright infringement that Bulma is likely to never know about. Those Capsules were originally made and produced by Capsule Corp. that much is true. But Bardock's mystery ally had someone alter them. Who? Find out much later in the story and you'll see, as well as who the mystery ally is.**

 **This chapter lacked any true action which will be rectified next chapter I promise you.**

 **I'd like to thank all the reviewers, readers, fellow authors and those who favorited and/or followed this story as well as the Slayers of DxD reboot. I appreciate your patience and will continue to do my best in delivering a story.**

 **One last announcement… three spin-offs are being made from this story. I got way too many projects in development but hey, I like being creative and getting the ideas on paper when I got the chance.**

 **See ya later!**


	13. Foe from the Dead Zone

**A/N: Hey guys! Welcome back!**

 **Sorry but I suck at deadlines. That and I've been dividing up my focus on everything else in life. Like sickness and school (plus the Slayers of DxD Reboot). That sickness I had nearly put me out of commission for a while but I'm alive and kicking.**

 **So before we proceed on I need to get some things off my chest…**

 **Broly now has a ship eh? Haven't seen the movie (shame on me but in my defense I was sick) but I've seen some artwork online and even read a few fics that have been recently published about Broly and his*ahem* lady friend. To all you fellow Dragon Ball fans who have been pushing this new ship… good job. I like it too. That and I'm glad Broly's not a total psycho anymore, he's more like the Hulk. Just a lot of rage and power…**

 **I will try to see the movie within the next 24 hours or so before it leaves theaters. But I'm torn because I know for a fact Paragus is still an asshole like he was last time.**

 **Opinions of Kingdom Hearts 3? Anyone? Anyone?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **The Next Day**

 **Magnolia Outskirts, Bardock's House**

 **Nighttime**

It was a quiet night in Magnolia. Crickets were cricketing, frogs were croaking and wolves could be heard letting out howls in the distance. So all in all things were rather peaceful… except for one man.

Lying in bed with just a pair of sports compressions on and his tail free from his waist was Bardock. He had his forearm over his eyes as he rested his slightly aching muscles from what was supposed to be an easy day of work.

( _"But given my luck things are never easy…"_ )

He sighed as he looked over to the window. As the moon's glow faintly shone through the blinds he closed earlier. It was best not to think about what would happen if he were exposed to this world's moon. Instead he drifted his thoughts to his day and how things went from good to bad with one job.

* * *

 **Flashback**

 **Earlier that Day**

 **Oshibana Town**

 **Afternoon/ Evening**

It began just like all the other days had since he first arrived. He woke up at the break of dawn, ate breakfast and had a training session. Unlike other mornings, this training session was a light one which consisted of practicing his fighting techniques and meditation. After finishing up he slipped into his usual battle armor, tied his headband and went off to the first job with the sun still rising.

What followed after was a rather tame work day to say the least…

Job #1 and Job #3 were pest control jobs which turned out to be relatively simple. For transportation, Bardock simply flew to cut time and luckily caught both farmers at a time where their work day had begun. Once he got briefed on the situation on each farm, the tasks took less than an hour each. The farmers were grateful he minimized damage to the land and they gave him thanks plus his payment before he was on his way out.

Job #2, Job #5, Job #7 and Job #8 were beast hunts which didn't prove much of a challenge. Sure with the Vulcans and Wyverns, each respective group had number superiority but never counted on their opponent… their LONE opponent being insanely strong. No wizard in their right mind would come by themselves to face Vulcans or Wyverns in groups unless they were considered an experienced mage who could do well against numbers. But Bardock was no mage since he didn't use magic but these beasts didn't know that so it served to his advantage. They underestimated him and it costed them dearly. The Vulcans who weren't humans under the guise of magic were killed with their horns and their tails taken as proof of completion. The Wyverns were annihilated within minutes after Bardock toyed with them. None of their attacks were effective and even when attempting to work together they didn't last long. He reported his success along with his proof and was paid properly for his work with a combined bonus from both jobs of 50,000 Jewel. As for the Weretiger… apparently he left before Bardock could promptly finish him off. The Saiyan got a 25,000 Jewel bonus for that last job and proceeded on.

Job #4 and Job #9 consisted of Bardock engaging in close quarters against the separate hordes of Dark Goblins that had stashed themselves away in underground caves. Their primitive traps didn't work and their weapons were ineffective against Bardock's impenetrable skin to a point they were too dumb to stop trying to at least draw blood. The destruction of the Dark Goblins were a relief to the residents and workers in Balsam village but little consolation to the villages located near the Northeastern mountains in the country. Unlike Balsam village who could afford the security, the small villages could barely fend for themselves. Several mothers, daughters, aunts and wives were still virtually unaccounted for and Bardock told them that if he would see what he could do to give them proper closure. In his raids on both cave locations, the cave in the mountains had numerous passageways that would take days to explore. And given how the Dark Goblins were operating, it meant in all likelihood those girls were as good as dead by the time anyone would find them. Bardock then proceeded to give his findings before advising the villagers to go to the Royal Army before going to the Magic Council. Everyone thanked him, paid him in full before he proceeded onto what would be his last job.

The jobs took him roughly 5 to 7 hours and it was already hitting evening time. He was in a tavern just outside of Oshibana Town, the same place where he aided the newly made 'Strongest Team', eating and drinking with no care in the world. Luckily there weren't a large amount of patrons to witness the carnage of Saiyan eating. Those who were able to witness it however had their fair share of comments, especially the females between the ages of 21 and 45.

"Hey girls look at that!"

"He's so devilishly handsome!"

"Oooh~ I want to eat him up!"

"You think he's a mage?"

"I hope those muscles aren't just for show!"

Bardock was flattered but a bit unnerved. The amount of lust he was feeling from some human females on this planet was uncanny. That and he was showing terrible table manners, so how is it these women still managed to comment about his looks? He for the life of him could never understand how women worked. He surmised it as one of the universe's greatest enigmas or in his case one of the multiverse's greatest enigmas.

He finished eating, paid for everything and left. Bardock didn't really want to attract too much attention, it just wasn't his style.

Several minutes later, the Saiyan Rebel was moseying through the streets of Oshibana.

( _"They sure do clean up fast. Guess there wasn't that much damage done here as was in Clover…"_ )

The major damage in Clover was limited to the League Hall and surrounding buildings along with earthquake damages from Bardock's attack. The Saiyan easily admitted he could have held back more but his pride never allowed him to be looked down upon by a demon that was nothing but an ant beneath his boot.

( _"Good thing I took him out there instead of here. Heh, geezers on the Council would've had a damn fit."_ )

He kept walking as his senses searched out anything amiss in the bustling town. This place was a popular train hub so it made sense a lot of people, mages included, would roll through here. Magic signatures were faint which meant there weren't that many mages around. And if there were mages, they were obviously weak given how much power they had.

"Bardock!"

The Saiyan heard his name and looked right to see several members of the Rune Knights make their way over and among the group was a familiar face.

( _"Specs is here? That can't be good…"_ )

Bardock still had his bag slung over his right shoulder as he turned to face Lahar fully. He was a bit surprised to see the Division Commander so soon after the trial. No doubt the bespectacled man had his own questions about Bardock's story but the Saiyan figured the man might get his hands dirty doing some deep digging into his background. It made sense and he wished them luck in doing so.

"Lahar right?"

Said man smiled before offering his right hand. Bardock quickly switched which hand was holding the bag he carried and gave Lahar a brief shake properly with his right hand.

"Glad you remembered me. No nickname this time?" Lahar joked.

Bardock put his fist on his hip and chuckled at the friendly jab. For the life of him he couldn't bring himself to totally hate authority. At least there were some big wigs out there who could play nice.

"Naw not this time."

The Rune Knight chuckled before settling on a serious demeanor, Bardock did too.

"I take it you're here on a job then?" Lahar questioned.

"Something like that."

Lahar hummed and gave a nod before giving a small gesture for Bardock to follow him. The two walked through the town, making a slow approach towards the train station.

"If you're wondering why my men and I are here, it's because we are seizing assets of Eisenwald and getting witness statements to the incident you were involved in."

Bardock's eyes shifted to Lahar, silently urging the man to continue. The Rune Knight took this cue.

"In addition to that we have received reports of some type of new monster that has attacked civilians. From what we have heard and gathered this monster is seemingly plant based and has ferocious attack power."

"Any casualties?" Bardock prompted.

Lahar shook his head in response.

"The victims only received various injures such as a few broken ribs, a shattered femur and some other notable ones. But that's about as bad as it gets." Lahar said while adjusting his glasses.

Bardock grunted at the explanation. He wasn't really much of the caring type of individual, not really. He was just curious as to what type of damage this monster was doing and if he should be relatively worried. Just because he had the protection and superiority of Ki doesn't mean he should let his guard down against magic users. The last thing he needed was someone trying to get inside his head.

Suddenly the group arrived at a small makeshift outpost for the Rune Knights that consisted of a single tent. Lahar wordlessly dismissed the soldiers guarding him and motioned for Bardock to follow him inside.

Once inside, the Custody Enforcement Commander brought the Saiyan's attention to the map sitting on the table. Bardock set his bag on the floor before crossing his arms and taking in the details of the map. Lahar stood on the other side ready to continue the conversation.

"This map is of both Clover Town and Oshibana. As it stands there are several areas my men and I are operating in during our investigation."

Lahar then pointed to one area of interest.

"Here is Eisenwald's base of operations… their guild hall. It is surrounded by dead wood and due to the concentration of Ethernano in the air, the area is covered by a fog that is a near daily occurrence regardless of the weather."

Bardock narrowed his eyes at the spot in question. Several marks were made in and around the immediate area which drew him to the conclusion those marks represented where the incidents took place. He suddenly found it all too convenient that a monster pops up in a place that was just abandoned recently.

"If I'm reading this right, it's just outside of town?" Bardock prompted.

Lahar answered with a nod and the impression that Bardock was about to leave to deal with whatever was inhabiting Eisenwald's old stomping grounds.

"Then I'll take care of the monster and bring the corpse as proof of completion. Tell your men to hang back and watch my bag for me will ya?"

Before Lahar could get a word in, the Saiyan was out of the tent in seconds and taking off into the air heading towards the Eisenwald Guild Hall.

* * *

 **Just outside Eisenwald Guild Hall**

It only took a few minutes for Bardock to land on the path leading to the now abandoned building. Luckily there was a light fog in the area which didn't limit visibility.

He continued to walk for several minutes before stopping a few dozen meters to see the Eisenwald Guild Hall dead ahead.

( _"At least they kept it in somewhat respectable shape."_ )

Bardock strode on, thinking back on the beat down he and Natsu's team dished out to the members of the dark guild that occupied the very building he was heading towards. He remembered the disappointment he felt at the lack of a challenge from both the members and their ace.

( _"Which reminds me… whatever happened to that lanky SOB?"_ )

It was thanks to Bardock's enhanced hearing he heard the Rune Knights mention that Eisenwald's heralded ace had gone missing despite the fact Bardock more or less left him for dead on the train tracks. Which honestly made him wonder… who picked him up during the chaos of dealing with Lullaby? That was a problem for someone else now.

Suddenly, Bardock's senses alerted him to a presence… no several presences nearby. His Ki sensing abilities (which were still a work in progress) were like a radar for him and at this very moment he was getting several pings, all of whom were closing in on him.

( _"10… 15… Almost 20 hostiles by my count…"_ )

The Saiyan Rebel took his fighting stance as his eyes darted back and forth awaiting the impending enemy force.

( _"Looks like that monster brought friends to this party. Too bad it won't help him though."_ )

He tensed up when the hostiles stopped moving. His eyes told him the enemy was hiding underground and awaiting the signal to attack. A wind blew through the area as silence permeated to Bardock's ears.

Five seconds…

Ten seconds…

Twenty seconds had passed and the wind died down. Without warning a sound hit Bardock's ears, one he never thought he would hear again…

"Gnurk!"

His eyes widened as the horde sprung from the soil. The horde were Little green men with red eyes and three talons on hands and feet. A while back they were enslaved before becoming disposable soldiers for both the Saiyans and Frieza. They were the perfect training dummy and came to be known as…

( _"Saibamen! Son of a bitch!"_ )

Bardock managed to duck and roll forward after one of the little monsters aimed a kick for his head. He settled into a crouching position, growling at the fact he had to deal with what he considered minor annoyances.

( _"Usually these little bastards have a handler. I'll find him or her when I'm done taking care of them."_ )

Bardock shot straight up and back into his combat stance. The Saibamen were all out of the ground, encircling him sounding off at the delight of catching their prey. To this Bardock looked around and simply smirked while they all got into combat stances.

"You guys will make for a good warmup." Bardock chuckled darkly.

Two Saibamen in front of Bardock shot straight at him, roaring in dark glee hoping their numbers would prevail. The other Saibamen began to rush forward too in hopes that outnumbering the lone Saiyan would secure their victory… their hopes were soon dashed.

One Saibamen wrapped around Bardock's neck while he also received a Saibamen to each of his limbs. Not even surprised by the fact five of the little monstrosities had latched themselves onto him, Bardock dropped his smirk and scowled before swinging a Saibamen covered fist towards an enemy that was about to attack. His fist came down hard on the Saibamen's skull, then he proceeded to punt the poor bastard, not realizing his kick had ripped him half.

Bardock then realized they were trying to dogpile him so he took the time to punch off or blast off any unfortunate victims that tried to overwhelm him.

An elbow check here… a haymaker there… another elbow to the face… this continued for a few seconds before he decided to stop fooling around and use his Ki to push them all back, sending them flying in all directions.

Once the horde was off his person, Bardock took the time to finish off the Saibamen who were already out of the fight. He simply looked down and leveled the downed monsters with a simple Ki blasts. He played it safe in making sure he didn't level the area as that would be overkill. He was going to take his time in beating them all.

( _"So if my math is right I've taken down at least 7 of them leaving 13 left… so far so good."_ )

Five of his opponents had been quick to recover and instead of going for a ground attack they all shot up in the air. He looked up and grinned maniacally before flying high and grabbing two of his opponents by the legs. They went stiff as boards, terrified at what the implications of the Saiyan's next move.

More Saibamen shot into the air and with a grin Bardock spun around knocking four of them back using their own comrades. Then he proceeded to whack one on the head using the Saibamen in his right before going to another one hitting him in the solar plexus with the one in his left.

Seeing his enemies stunned, Bardock spun forward as he flew towards the ground at high speed slamming his make shift blunt objects into the ground hard. He held onto their legs before flipping them up in front of him, letting them go and then blasting them into oblivion.

( _"11 left… this is a little fun."_ )

His grin dropped when his senses alerted him to one of the one he had stunned earlier rushing towards his vulnerable back. He rectified that situation spinning on his heel, hitting the Saibamen with a clotheline before performing a spinning jump and downwards punch to the vulnerable Saibamen's torso… that punch went straight through and the Saibamen went limp on Bardock's forearm.

( _"Make that 10."_ )

Bardock ripped his forearm out the corpse before standing up and looking over in the direction of the abandoned guild hall. He saw that his warmup partners all huddled nervously in front of the building's doors. He smirked darkly and started a fast paced walk over to their location.

"Although I haven't used much energy today, I think I'm gonna enjoy tearing you guys apart." He said.

Although scared they didn't back down. The Saibamen tried a different strategy this time... moving fast while in a circle, with their enemy being in the middle.

From Bardock's perspective as he smirked while standing in the circle, the Saibamen were slow… to slow. He was going to savor this next part.

( _"Hopefully my sharpshooting skills aren't too rusty. Haven't practiced this move in a while… guess now's a good time as any."_ )

The Saiyan Rebel slowly made gun postures using both hands. During some of his run-ins with the Galactic Patrol, Bardock had developed a useful Ki technique with his hands acting as makeshift blasters. He had a hard time coming up with a proper name for the technique until Tora and Fasha pitched in to help. When he heard their pitch he found it a bit cliché but it would do.

 **Six Shooter**.

Time slowed as Bardock drew his hands like actual guns before firing at the Saibamen who had no time to react as the Saiyan Rebel performed his own version of Gun Fu.

He popped one with his right hand, then another with his left, then he did a trick shot using his right… before long the group of ten were whittled down to two.

He blew on his index fingers before holstering his hands and letting out a low chuckle. The Saiyan slowly turned around, dark grin widening at the sight before him.

"And then there were two…"

Both Saibamen were terrified stiff. One decided to try and save himself so he pushed his buddy into the dirt right at Bardock's feet and decided to flee on foot, momentarily forgetting he could fly.

Bardock glanced up watching the cowardly alien flee before glancing back down at the alien's buddy. The green man at his feet was trembling and tried to crawl back. The Saiyan's eyes held no mercy and neither did the feral grin that stretched from ear to ear. The only thing the poor bastard could do was shield his eyes as he watched in slow motion the Saiyan's fist coming down and then obscuring his vision. After that, the alien was snuffed out of existence and embraced death fully.

It had fled. He had fled. He forgot how to fly or just didn't have the energy to do so. He was letting out whatever intelligible sounds his people made to communicate. Suddenly a searing pain had erupted and his beady eyes looked down to see his left leg had been blasted off. He fell forward on his face and attempted to look back… only to see his destroyer walking to him with the intent of showing zero mercy. He tried to crawl, getting only a few inches ahead before his right leg was vaporized in a flash. His throat croaked out a sound… a sound of pure agony. His body had collapsed in the dirt, digits clawing at the earth trying to draw whatever strength he had to survive. He heard the footsteps come closer… and closer… and closer… then the footsteps had stopped. In the next instant he felt an immense pressure on his head… then nothing. The last of the Saibamen in Oshibana had been slain.

Bardock grimaced as he inspected his bloodied boot. The little bastard tried to run but didn't get far. He took morbid satisfaction in taking care of the little green trash. But now he had a new problem…

"I hope I can get the blood out. Don't need these little fuckers guts stinking up my gear." He stated in disgust.

He lowered his boot and then sighed. Just as he was about to let his guard down his ears picked up the faint sound of clapping. He looked up in confusion as a figure exited what was supposed to be an abandoned building. The figure kept clapping, as if to mock him somehow while coming into view.

The figure stopped several meters away, ceasing his clapping and crossing his arms. First things first, thig new guy was short. Not Saibamen short but still, shorter than Bardock by a good margin. He had an elongated skull, dark olive colored skin, pointy ears, red eyes with black pupils and skull nose like a vampire bat. He wore some sort of armor with a dark colored cloak.

"Greetings warrior my name is Ginger and on behalf of my masters I've come to extend an invitation to you." The dark skinned being stated with a dark smirk.

Bardock turned to face him fully, a steady wind blowing through the dead forest.

"Is that right?" he responded in an even tone.

Ginger snickered before uncrossing his arms. His smirk intensified and the look in his eyes let Bardock know that this next fight was going to be a bit more challenging. But that would be determined very soon as Bardock got a feel for his power.

"Yes it is. Per my orders I'm supposed to bring you in. However…"

He closed his eyes for a moment, momentarily confusing Bardock as to why. He found out the next instant when Ginger's eyes shot open and he was cackling madly as he rushed towards him.

"He never said whether or not you needed to be conscious!"

Bardock stood his ground scowling. The Saiyan made no move to get into a fighting stance. As his senses intensified, time seemed to slow down. Although his opponent was far stronger than the Saibamen he just breezed through, the mystery alien (possibly demon) was not strong enough to beat him if he went all out.

( _"To hell with it. I'll humor the guy before I beat some answers out of him."_ ) He remarked before grunting aloud.

Time sped back up and Bardock backpedaled as Ginger was alternating between jabs and crosses. None of the hits did any damage as the spikey haired man switched between simple blocks using his forearm or just outright sidestepping the blows as a clear showing of superior speed and skill.

Ginger was not deterred as he continued to cackle while still sticking to the same strategy of using jabs and crosses trying to get body blows. Bardock continued to dodge and block for several seconds before stopping.

"You done?"

The Saiyan then caught both of Ginger's hands, clearly catching the strange alien off guard. He was gawking at the fact his fists were caught and with such ease. Ginger obviously did not anticipate his opponent being so skilled.

Bardock bared his teeth as he quickly let go… only to deliver a devastating punch to Ginger's solar plexus. The blow was so strong it sent Ginger back into the abandoned guild hall. Bardock then took the opportunity to ascend into the sky, high enough to where the now no longer empty building was still in view.

The Saiyan summoned a watermelon sized Ki orb in his right hand before cocking his arm back and launching it towards the ground.

Only seconds earlier, Ginger was trying to get his bearings after taking a staggering hit. The alien (or demon, the jury is still out on that) shakily stood to his feet, enraged at the fact he was so outclassed so easily. However, his outrage lasted a minute as he felt a great power descend upon him and the building.

A space where the Eisenwald Guild Hall stood now erupted into a glorious blue explosion, sending out shockwaves and wind throughout the dead forest. Bardock covered his face with a single forearm as to not risk himself going blind from using his own move. That would just be insulting.

The light from the blast died down so Bardock uncovered his face and made a slow descent on the cratered remains of Eisenwald's stomping grounds as well as good part of the forest surrounding it. He slowly walked on the debris of the now demolished building, using his senses to track where he last felt his opponent was. Bardock made slow and steady scans, taking in every detail just to be sure he wasn't missing anything.

( _"Hopefully he wasn't as weak as I thought he was. If so then I'm back to square one."_ )

The search continued for a few minutes until there was a faint trace of energy that flickered on the Saiyan's radar.

His gaze sharpened as his head turned facing front. Shooting out of the rubble was a bloodied, battered and weakened Ginger. His right eye was completely closed, blood flowing from the cut just above where his right eyebrow would be. There were numerous holes in clothes and more than half his cloak was essentially gone. But that was just what was going on the surface. Internally, Ginger was suffering a few broken bones, namely his sternum from the impact of Bardock's punch.

"Guess you're still alive." Bardock commented as he crossed his arms.

The heavy breathing was a good indication if anything. Ginger slowly walked forward out of the debris grave only for him to fall on all fours with labored breath.

"D… Dammit… I can't… die… like this…" he panted.

Bardock only scoffed before his patience started to wear thin. He didn't have time for this.

"Listen up Gingy…"

Ginger could barely look up to give the man his best glare to which Bardock brushed off easily.

"I'm a very busy man and truth be told I don't like having my time wasted. And wasting my time on a weakling like you only makes me angry."

The Saiyan narrowed his eyes making Ginger flinch under the crucifying gaze.

"Seeing how I did just that, I'm pretty pissed off right now. However…" He trailed off.

Bardock uncrossed his arms and slowly made his way over to Ginger, whose eyes widened in fear at what was inevitably going to be his last moments on this world. The Saiyan then stomped on Ginger's back before priming a Ki attack in his hand.

"You're the first opponent I've faced off against that doesn't use magic and that interests me. So before I kill you, how about you tell me about your boss or in your unique case bosses?" He calmly demanded.

Ginger was shaking like a leaf. For the next few moments all that could be heard was the hum of a blue Ki orb in Bardock's hand and the sound of a frightened Ginger. Without warning though, Ginger composed himself before giving a weak laugh to which his executioner simply raised a brow.

"Something funny there chuckles?"

Ginger stopped laughing for a moment, giving a weak grin.

"I… I just realized something."

Bardock's brow settled into place and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"You… you look so much like him… the one who defeated my master before." He stated with a weak grin.

Bardock lost his concentration and the orb in his hands dissipated. His eyes were wide as he realized what Ginger was trying to tell him. His fists were clinched tight to where his knuckles were whiter than rice.

"That's right… there was him… the Namekian… and… some brat with a tail. I think it was his son." He said with a growing grin.

Bardock without warning applied pressure to Ginger's back, causing said alien to gasp in pain.

The Saiyan Rebel was furious.

( _"This bastard fought my son! Not only that he fought my grandson too meaning this bastard…!"_ )

He kept applying the pressure, feeling the crunch of bones beneath his boot. Ginger was clawing at the dirt while writhing in agony. He knew he pushed the right buttons but he never figured his enemy would be so merciless. To his relief though the pressure off his spine was gone instantly… only for the relief to vanish once he was hoisted in the air by his throat.

"Who the hell do you work for?!" Bardock demanded.

A squirming Ginger managed to get out a few words, only for those words to seal his fate.

"S-screw… you…" He choked out.

In a fit of rage Bardock lowered Ginger to the ground before chucking him into the sky. Gathering Ki in his hand, Bardock aimed before firing a **Full Power Energy Wave** in Ginger's direction. The alien saw the attack coming for him but he had no energy to defend or to dodge and was immediately consumed by the attack.

"NOOOOOOO!"

One last squawk and jerk of his body, Ginger was vaporized as a lethal blue light soared across the sky.

Once the attack died down Bardock lowered his hand before taking a few deep breaths to get his composure back.

"Rotten, lousy bastard…" He cursed.

He spit off to the side before turning around and simply walking away like nothing happened. He had finished the last job for today and found out some disturbing news at the same damn time. Those enemies he was warned of had finally arrived. Although Ginger didn't prove much of a challenge, Bardock knew somewhere down the line that there would be an opponent to push him to his limits and even beyond.

The Saiyan Rebel couldn't help but contemplate on the implications of what just happened and what it means going forward.

( _"There's more of them out there. There's always more. And I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they had a Saiyan among 'em, it would make sense."_ )

As it stood right now though, he didn't have an idea about numbers or personnel. He had no idea who Ginger's masters were but he had a clue that they would pop up sometime in the near future. For now Bardock needed to get his pay and go home.

"Hopefully Specs won't be mad I demolished a good chunk of the forest." He thought aloud with a chuckle.

He picked up a Saibamen corpse as proof of completion and was on his way out the forest.

* * *

 **Present**

 **Magnolia Outskirts, Bardock's House**

 **Nighttime**

Bardock proceeded back on to Oshibana to collect his reward with interest from the Magic Council. Luckily for him, Lahar had received orders to demolish the building after having someone dispose of the plant monster. Of course the Rune Knight Commander was shocked and deeply disturbed at the revelation something and unknown persons from Bardock's universe had somehow found their way to Earth Land. Bardock told Lahar that he could handle the threats without interference from the Council. Although Lahar agreed he did state that if under orders to intervene he had to do so. As a compromise, Lahar could only promise to hold his troops back for a period while Bardock fought whoever it was that made themselves known as a threat.

( _"Guess that's better than nothing…"_ )

He let out a sight before folding his hands behind his head and slowly drifting off to sleep.

As his consciousness started to slip away, the spikey haired man made sure his mental notes of the day were stored deep in the recesses of his mind. He had to talk to Makarov as a precaution and as a way to get information. Bardock didn't want the elderly master to suspect him of anything that may harm the guild. Makarov made it clear that if Bardock was a threat to Fairy Tail that he would be dealt with. But that was an empty threat and they both knew it. Makarov simply wanted to save face and get the message across about messing with his own which Bardock respected.

One thing is for sure… tomorrow was going to be another interesting day.

* * *

 **The Next Day**

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall**

Bardock was up bright and early, ready to conquer the day.

He spent all morning training before deciding to head over to the guild sometime after noon. He was walking through the streets of Magnolia, taking in the sights a bit before making his way towards the guild hall.

The overall friendliness of people, strangers in particular, was alien to him. He had gotten along with a select group of Saiyans, including his neighbors during his teenage, young adult and adult life up until Frieza's betrayal. But other times he was out conquering planets, witnessing the terror in another race's eyes as he and his comrades obliterated all those who stood in his path. Was he heartless? Of course not! He killed… he killed a lot. But he never laid hands on kids. It just never sat well with him to kill kids, on the rare occasion kids were present in his assigned mission area. Call him soft but once Gine entered his life things changed. Frieza's cruelty nearly dragged him down and luckily Gine was there to keep him from falling too deep into the abyss.

He pushed those thoughts and memories away only to gain new thoughts as he observed some of the townsfolk.

( _"Human females sure are an odd bunch…"_ )

Although he very much appreciated the flattery he was receiving, he still for the life of him couldn't figure out why some of the women that he passed by were so damn giggly. It was confusing as hell why they were acting in such weird ways.

He let out a sigh as the guild hall doors came into his view. The Saiyan Rebel made his way through the threshold only for his hearing to be assaulted by what he amounted was a screeching banshee…

"HE DID WHAT?!"

… or it was just Erza being pissy. Would it honestly kill her to use her inside voice? Oh wait this is Fairy Tail though so there's no such thing most of the time.

"That's right. Natsu seems to have gone too far this time and it looks like Happy, Lucy and even Gray have tagged along with him."

The other voice was Makarov.

Bardock walked over to see Team Shadow Gear and Mira standing by the bar. Everyone else were at their tables paying rapt attention to the conversation.

Fairy Tail's poster girl and Barmaid turned her head and the Saiyan saw that she was looking deeply concerned… and a little upset.

"Bardock…"

Said man still had his bag hoisted over his shoulder by the drawstring. Erza and Makarov along with most everyone else turned to see the resident badass make his appearance again. He figured it didn't take long for everyone to hear he had gone on several jobs.

( _"And now I'm the center of attention… again."_ )

"What I miss?" He asked with a quirked brow.

The redhead and the old man shared a glance before nodding. Mira went behind the bar to get Bardock something to drink while said man took a seat with his bag leaning on the stool.

"Natsu stole an S-Class mission from the second floor." Erza said, clearly disappointed and a bit furious.

Bardock had to fight the urge to smirk. It was honestly funny seeing Erza so pissed off this early in the day (or late considering it was afternoon already). He didn't know her well but he had to figure it wouldn't take much to push her buttons on a daily basis.

"Oh?"

She nodded before Makarov took over, standing as his full height with stick in hand.

"Yes. Apparently Happy came in and took the request off the board, at Natsu's orders no doubt." He explained.

( _"Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumbass strikes again…"_ ) Bardock remarked in his head.

"Somewhere in between that night and yesterday they convinced Lucy to go with them. Gray had volunteered to bring them back but unfortunately we have to assume he was convinced to go on the mission as well."

Bardock was losing the urge to smirk, slowly but assuredly. Mira brought him water to which he slowly lifted a cup to his face.

"I see. And how did you find this out?" He questioned.

Mira had a deep frown on her face when she spoke this time. If it was enough to upset Mira it must be serious… but then again Bardock didn't really care all that much. He figured the resident fire breather could handle it. And he knew the reason or at least had a clue as to why Natsu broke the rules in the first place.

"I was cleaning up on the second floor when I noticed a request missing. I asked the Master which request it was and apparently it was the mission to the cursed island." She explained.

( _"Cursed Island huh? Interesting…"_ )

"While we were trying to figure out who stole the request, I found a note on the table under a glass. The note was from Laxus and…" she trailed off.

"The note told you that the fur ball stole the request didn't it?" Bardock finished.

Mira nodded before lowering her head. He figured she was upset at the fact she couldn't do anything to stop the course of events from happening the way they did. Plus her history with Laxus made it clear she wanted answers from the arrogant SOB. Of course everyone else wanted to make their opinions known and add their two cents in on the conversation.

"I still can't believe it. But knowing Natsu he couldn't help himself." Alzack commented.

"You know how he can be. I'm more disappointed in Lucy for going along with it all." Bisca chimed with a disapproving tone.

"Why would Natsu do something so risky as stealing a mission on the second floor though? I know he can a bit wild at times but this takes the cake." Jet said as he rubbed his neck.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Everyone stopped talking to look at Bardock who was drinking a glass of water. He set it down before standing up from the bar and cracking his neck.

"Kid just wants to prove himself. After the old man failed to keep his punk of grandson in check…"

Erza was sending a murderous glare towards Bardock's back. Everyone of course had glares of their own minus Cana and Levy at what Bardock just said but like always he just never noticed or just decided not give a rat's ass about their opinions.

"And I had to do the job for him, I'm guessing that pink haired idiot just wanted a chance to show his skills and impress the right people."

Bardock turned around to see both Erza and Makarov with stern faces, so he just couldn't help but smirk this time while crossing his arms.

"And to paraphrase the old man, if a wizard in this guild can't hold their weight on a mission they don't belong here right?" He questioned.

Silence reigned in but if one could tell, Erza was letting off a low growl while grinding her teeth together. Makarov just sighed before rubbing his eyebrows with his free hand.

"At any rate Bardock, given your success on the missions you completed yesterday…"

Erza glanced over with a raised brow as if questioning where she was when her questionable guild mate took a mission, let alone multiple. Makarov noticed only to continue.

"I was thinking of requesting you to accompany Erza and retrieve them for me so they could face punishment for their actions." He stated in all seriousness.

Bardock's smirk dropped and he frowned at what he was being asked to do.

"And why the hell should I?" he retorted.

"Natsu has broken guild rules and unlike you, we actually care to uphold those rules. When the Master deems that Natsu is not ready to handle an S-Class mission then he must respect the Master's decision or face the consequences." Erza replied hotly.

Bardock uncrossed his arms and scowled. He narrowed his eyes as he directed his gaze at the knight.

"Did it look like I was talking to you 'Fairy Queen'?"

Erza narrowed her eyes back and clinched her fists. The Saiyan took walked up to her before looking down at her brown orbs.

Mira shifted uncomfortably behind the counter, not liking that her two friends might come to blows. Although her rivalry with Erza was buried, with the contradiction of wanting to see her former rival get an attitude adjustment, she actually feared what Bardock might do to her. He didn't use magic but whatever he used was deadly, deadly enough to level large buildings, maybe even entire towns.

Levy was hesitant to jump in because she rather not see her new friend go to blows with one of her longtime friends over what now seemed like a petty issue.

Cana of course clutched her barrel of alcohol tighter sharing similar feelings to Levy.

The rest of the guild was nervous as the guy who essentially humiliated Laxus was actually challenging the authority of their strongest female mage.

"First things first, lose the holier than thou attitude, it's getting on my damn nerves." Bardock began.

Erza growled and bared her teeth.

"Second, I may be a member but I don't orders from you or the old man. We both know that if I were to fight against the both of you I'd win in a heartbeat. So don't pick a fight you can't win." He warned.

Just to make good on that warning he flared his aura and turned up his power. The sudden gust of wind threw everyone for a loop but they felt it… that oppressive, commanding aura from before. This was the power they felt the day Bardock took down Laxus with one hit only this time it felt stronger than before. The only other thing that could come close to it was the aura produced by their ace. What made them nervous though was the possible question if Bardock had reached his limit at that point. And in all honesty they dreaded the possible answer that he could go higher and stronger than what he was now.

Sweat dripped from Erza's face as she put on a brave face but internally she felt damn near powerless.

"And one more thing…"

He leaned in making Erza take a step back, several drops of sweat coming off her face at this point.

"Rules were made to be broken. I don't care who he deems 'worthy' enough to take on missions that are at or above their caliber. The way I see it if you aren't pushing your limits everyday you're just as complacent as that weak dark guild we took down."

His aura dissipated and he corrected his posture before crossing his arms. Everyone let out the breath they were holding now that the aura generated by the Saiyan was gone.

"Now listen up, given how my day went yesterday I'm actually considering going with you on this little field trip of yours." He stated.

Everyone looked at him with shock and disbelief. He had just challenged the authority of the master and their strongest female mage only to contradict himself by complying with their request.

"Keep in mind this has nothing to do with the two idiots, the stripper and the ditzy blonde breaking some dumb rules. That cursed island may in fact be the lead I need to help me with my own mission." He clarified.

Erza and Makarov quickly recovered from their shock before asking the obvious question.

"But why? Even if our goals and interests don't align why would you come along with me?" Erza asked in pure curiosity.

Bardock leveled a neutral stare before turning his back to her. She was about to start yelling at him until she noticed he placed a bag on the bar counter. He whipped out a pair of red rimmed shades before placing them on his face.

Although he looked absolutely ridiculous with them on, he figured that they were going to be traveling for the rest of the day. This meant that if they were heading towards some island at night he'd rather not risk that issue coming up on the way. If he was exposed to moonlight, the moon in general, there was a slight chance of him losing his sanity for a period.

He turned around and saw the questioning gazes of everyone else. Of course Cana was a snickering mess while Mira and Levy had to hold in a fit of giggles. The Saiyan Rebel resisted the urge to roll his eyes or do anything to betray his inner turmoil at wearing shades and gave a rather simple reply.

"Because my business is my own. And recently I may have finally found some enemies worth fighting this time around, so I'll leave it at that."

He placed his bag behind the bar as he usually did before heading out of the guild. Everyone just looked at him strangely as the man strolled on out with proud strides. Mira, Levy and Cana couldn't help but smile collectively. Their friend was an odd one but deep down they had a feeling that he cared about Natsu and the others. They figured he just didn't want to show it at all.

"Come on. If you want to get to this cursed island you might as well keep up." Bardock called out.

Erza rolled her eyes before jogging to catch up with her Saiyan companion. In all honesty he was one confusing man.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

 **Somewhere on Galuna Island**

Gathered in the dark depths, away from the eyes of the inhabitants and visitors of Galuna Island, were a group of individuals of unknown origin. They are not natives of Earth Land and their alignment is far more sinister than anyone could imagine.

The first man was a tall, frog faced humanoid being with black and purple battle armor. He had bull horns that complimented his long red hair. His name is Mustard.

The second man a short, stubby red humanoid with pointed ears like an elf or devil and whiskers. He wore a Mongolian style hat and had a yellow fur collar wrapped around his neck. His battle armor was black with light green shoulder guards. Underneath his armor is a shirt that is also light green and lastly he wears blue pants with white and brown boots. His name is Salt.

The third man was large, had purple skin, wore battle armor and had dark brown hair. This guy's name was Vinegar.

The fourth man was of good size height but shorter than the taller members of the group. He had light blue skin, pointy ears and wears battle armor like the others. In addition to the armor he wears a yellow cape. His name is Spice.

The fifth man was a behemoth. He had red-purple sideburns that extended down to his chest, muscles everywhere and a head that looked a lot like a pickle. His name is Sansho.

Currently the five armored dark warriors were gathered around a crystal ball that sat on a trapezoid shaped pedestal. At the core of the group was a sixth figure who was shorter than Salt. This was their leader, hidden away underneath a white-pale blue cloak.

The last of the leader's men walked through the cave before stopping several feet behind them. He was tall, had white hair and grayish-blue colored skin. His name is Nicky.

"My lord…"

Everyone turned around after Nicky announced his presence. Everyone but Vinegar was grinning or smirking with malicious intent. The leader was very much interested in hearing the report he was waiting for.

"Yes Nicky?"

Nicky crossed his arms and regarded his comrades with a glance before returning his attention to their leader.

"It looks like Ginger didn't make it. The Saiyan took him out, got the Saibamen too." Nicky announced almost nonchalantly.

It was well known among them that Ginger was the weakest link in the group so it was no loss there. As for the Saibamen? They never needed them but they were useful as meat shields and disposable training dummies. Plus the little green men proved their worth somewhat in helping gauge the strengths and weaknesses of an opponent, unless of course their opponent were leagues above them in power.

"Ginger was the weakest of us all so it makes sense." Vinegar scoffed in disdain.

Nicky and the others chuckled at that statement. Vinegar may have been a hot head but he had a point. Plus Nicky knew from witnessing the previous day's events that Ginger severely underestimated their enemy. There was the silent concern about facing the Saiyan whose true power remained unknown up until this point. However, in order for their master's plan to succeed they needed to utilize their numbers in overwhelming the Saiyan who easily decimated one of their own.

Spice crossed his arms and looked over to his master.

"What shall we do next my lord? Shall we proceed on with the plan?" Spice asked with a dark smirk.

Their leader let out a chuckle as he turned around and returned his attention to the crystal ball.

"Patience, Spice. If anything something tells me he will be coming to us."

With a wave of both hands, the orb shined for a second before revealing several images. The first image was of a large slab of ice containing a demonic beast. The second was of two masked men accompanied people in black robes, a pink haired girl, a dog faced man and a young teenager with suspiciously large eyebrows. The next set of images of course interested the group more… a salmon haired teen with a scaled scarf, a flying blue cat, a blonde teenage girl and a shirtless raven haired teenage boy all appeared on screen so to speak, as they were trekking their way through the jungle.

The leader started to cackle lowly before it exploded in full blown maniacal laughter.

"And I have the perfect plan in mind for him and his friends!" the leader exclaimed madly.

Somewhere on the island, Natsu got a chill down his spine and a gut feeling that made him nervous. The Fire Dragon Slayer observed his surroundings with a cautious look. Turns out, whatever his gut was telling him was warning him this impromptu mission might have been a bad idea.

Oh how right he was…

* * *

 **A/N: And that's the end of the chapter!**

 **There is now more trouble in paradise for our resident Saiyan. Natsu and the others are in trouble and in more ways than one. Now it's up to Bardock and Erza to go get them. Galuna Island Arc has started and it may last two more chapters. Then there will be a filler chapter before jumping straight into the Phantom Lord Arc. So here's a question… what will Bardock's approach be in a battle between guilds? Stay tuned and find out later. Or speculate in the review section.**

 **Six Shooter is a rip off of Yusuke Urameshi's Spirit Gun and a move I saw Bardock develop in another fic. He won't use it often… I think. Lol**

 **Saibamen… Everyone's favorite punching bag and training dummy. They are the very beings that killed Yamacha and achieved a draw… good times. Lol**

 **Honestly writing that fight with the Saibamen was hilarious.**

 **So yes, Garlic Jr. is the first villain up and while you may not think of him as a challenge he will manage to keep Bardock on his toes using his henchmen and his schemes.**

 **All will become clear in the inevitable confrontation to come.**

 **And why is Bardock wearing shades? The moon. Lol**

 **The review section is open for opinions, snarky remarks, plain comments and even the always enjoyable flattery.**

 **Thanks goes to my fellow authors and readers on the site. I also give thanks to those who come to read this story, the viewers, reviewers and the followers as well. I appreciate all of you as you push me to be a better author.**

 **Oh and a special thanks to all who have taken interest in my other story, even if it is a reboot that I've put on a crazy train.**

 **See ya later!**


	14. Cursed Island, Forbidden Mission

**A/N: Whimmy wham wham wozzle!**

 **Futurama reference for those not in the know. Lol**

 **Anyways, welcome to the new chapter and now official start of the Galuna Island Arc.**

 **Ah Galuna Island…**

 **Reading it and watching it was fun. Gray honestly needs to open up more about his issues to someone he can trust like Makarov or Gildarts (when he's around) or even Mira… maybe Mira.**

 **Shoutout to the artist known as boz_kun (or is it Boz-kun)! They are responsible for Gajeel and Levy inspired fan art that is always brings out the best in Fairy Tail's best canon couple (because until NaLu happens this will continue to be true). The latest artwork by Boz-kun brings out the fluff and humor so well. And before some of you ask yes, Boz-kun does artwork for Gajeel and Levy that is NSFW… and it is just as great if not greater than the wholesome art some of you may have seen. If you guys are curious and want to view the art while supporting the artist, look up Boz-kun on Twitter, maybe Instagram (I'm not sure), Facebook by some chance, and definitely Deviantart. I think they go by R-Boz too.**

 **You've seen what happens in other fics when another hero is on the scene with Natsu and company. But what happens when the opposition gets a boost in firepower?**

 **Let's find out shall we?**

 **But before we do…**

 **I've finally done it! I saw DBS Broly and loved every freakin minute! Curse you Frieza and Paragus is still an asshole!**

 **My non-spoiler review… the fight scenes were epic as hell. I felt like a giddy kid in the candy store buying candy before going back to the house to wait for Christmas in a few days. Honestly that movie brought back such fond memories of when I first watched each incarnation of Dragon Ball. It honestly amazes how far the series has come in the what two decades plus of existence?**

 **For Spoiler review…**

 **[Warning: Classified information ahead]**

 **Unlike the Father of Goku movie, the beginning of the movie starts out with our boy Bardock returning home like all the other Saiyans. We also get to see Goku's mom Gine (loved her!) and see that relationship play out on screen. It broke my heart to see her cry though. We love you Gine!**

 **Broly's power rivaled that of a Destroyer God (so damn cool). As Vegeta said in the trailer, the guy was learning as he fought. That potential feared by King Vegeta turned out to be Broly's double edge sword. But I'm glad Broly didn't turn Psycho. He's a good man at heart and I'm glad to see them doing a different take on his character. It really does him justice. Still it's just like dealing with Jak or Dr. Banner, don't ever piss him off in a dark alley. You'll regret it.**

 **Cheelai is a great character and I think she is good for Broly. She can work on the damage Paragus did to Broly over the years. Plus I think those two do look cute together. It's obvious there's a connection there and I'm glad we fans can speculate or write of how that connection plays out. (Hell I think some people have a lemon/smut scene for those two in the works already. I found one the other day and loved it. Shout out to the author edgarmash79! Please check the story out, favorite and follow it! You know the drill when it comes to stories on the site so I shouldn't have to tell you.)**

 **To add on to that, Cheelai is definitely waifu material. That and I'm kind of a sucker for alien girls if the mood is right. We all have a little Captain Kirk or Commander Shepard in us am I right? You honestly can't tell me you guys never found the Asari (Mass Effect) or even Ahsoka (Star Wars) attractive? Come on people! Lol**

 **Loved the nods to the past like the DBZ Story arcs, the villains and of course… the Tournament of Power participants!**

 **By the way… Bulma is a freakin' Milf! Even after having another kid and wanting to wish that she could look 5 years younger (Goku pushed for 10), she is like fine wine, only improving with age. She is forever a timeless waifu.**

 **And a special nod to Vegeta's baby girl. She is just the cutest! I'm still trying to figure out how Beerus didn't destroy her on impulse when he was stuck babysitting her?**

 **Last thing… after two screwed up tries at fusion we got our big star Gogeta back on screen. And boy he did not disappoint. I'm still reeling from that fight scene with Broly once Broly achieved Legendary status.**

 **Did I mention there were fight scenes? There were fight scenes. I'd re-watch them in a heartbeat.**

 **All in all, the movie was the right amount of drama and intrigue mixed the high octane action we've come to expect and love from the Dragon Ball franchise.**

 **[End of Classified Section]**

 **There are your spoilers (sort of). Might want to catch the movie before it leaves theaters or wait until the Blu-ray release (or DVD if you want to go old school). Or if you're like me, get the movie on digital. I will definitely buy it on digital.**

 **You guys are awesome! 100 Followers for the story! High fives all around!**

 **(*Confetti rains in slo-mo*, *Victory Fanfare plays*)**

 **Now let's jump right in!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Galuna Island**

 **Afternoon**

It was supposed to be a simple job.

It was supposed to be a simple mission.

So how in the world did it end up so complicated?

Welp…

It started out the day Mystogan came back to take a job request, knocking all of Fairy Tail out with a sleeping spell like he usually did when he was in town. But the thing is, not everyone was out cold this time around. As pointed out by Laxus, sometime after Mystogan left, there was another person who finally got to see Mystogan in person… it turned out to be Bardock. Honestly, was there nothing that man couldn't do?

Anyways not only had Bardock seen Mystogan in person, he stood up Laxus when he started mouthing off how strong he was and talked to down to everyone. It was a sight to behold and one the best things Fairy Tail had seen in a long time. Everyone wanted the arrogant S-Class mage brought down a few pegs and many were happy to see their newest member do so with ease.

In the aftermath of that, Laxus left on a mission in a foul mood and barely uttered a word on his way out.

So where do the members of Fairy Tail's strongest team aka Team Natsu fit into all this?

Only hours after Mystogan's return and Laxus' subsequent humiliation, the team went their separate ways. Erza went off on a job that would take no longer than a day and like Laxus was out of town barely saying a word to anyone. Gray went home to rest, hoping he could find a solo job the next day before trying out the team up thing again. Mira had begged him to give it a try, especially after he hurt her feelings about the whole 'Strongest Team' thing. He was warming up to the idea, he just never wanted to show it.

As for Natsu, Happy and Lucy…

Due to Natsu's drive to prove himself as an S-Class caliber mage, he convinced Happy to steal a request from the second floor. By coincidence when he saw the request Happy had gotten, he found that part of the reward was a Celestial Gate Key, in particular one of the keys of the Zodiac that Lucy had been searching for.

Now, Natsu had a mischievous streak miles long and couldn't help himself when pulling antics on his friends, Lucy included. That said, he had caught on early on her self-esteem issues when it came to carrying her weight as a mage. He never really saw the issue because he saw her as strong in other ways and not like in ways he or the others were. She was kind and sweet like Mira, brave like Erza and book smart like Levy. The way he saw it, she didn't need to be strong like him in order to be a good mage. No… Lucy just needed to keep being Lucy. So in order to help give her gentle pushes in the right direction, Natsu was going to be there to support her, help her up and push her forward when she found herself stepping back. After all they were comrades in Fairy Tail now and he owed that much to her when really it was the other way around.

So, the Fire Dragon Slayer and his trusty blue cat surprised the Celestial mage in her apartment, earning a swift reprimand for breaking & entering. They then had a short conversation about S-Class and all the risks, as well as the rewards, which came with it. And once Natsu brought up the mission… Lucy was beside herself. She scolded him, told him to return the request and wished that he would think before doing such a stupid stunt. But she quickly pulled a 180 once she heard about part of the reward. That was all she needed to hear once a Zodiac Key was involved.

They left to Hargeon that next day, hoping to catch a boat to the cursed Island of Galuna. Before doing so, Lucy couldn't help but reminisce on recent events like when they had first met. Natsu only lightly teased her for it and what he received was a light slap on the arm before laughing at her pouting face. For some odd reason he found it cute when she pouted because of his teasing. When Happy teases her, she gets mad.

Back to more important matters… not a single fisherman or boat captain was willing to take them. Natsu of course saw that as a sign they should just swim to Galuna to which Lucy denied vehemently. She understood Natsu's hatred of all things vehicles but she just wanted him to suck it up.

Gray caught up to them and he made it clear that he was hell bent on bringing them back to face punishment by the Master and maybe even Erza. Once those two were mentioned, the trio was nervous as they were very hesitant to go back. That is… until one fisherman they had not asked for passage yet had made himself known.

Apparently the fisherman in question was willing to provide passage to Galuna free of charge with no crazy stipulations. Natsu eagerly accepted before knocking Gray out and taking him along for the ride.

That ride ended in disaster.

Natsu was quickly subdued by motion sickness while his companions were informed briefly of the curse of Galuna Island… and then shown subsequent proof. The fisherman was apparently a former resident who had escaped due to fear and paranoia amongst the populace. Well, that thought quickly went out the window when said fisherman pulled a ninja and disappeared while the Fairy Tail mages were still on board the small row boat. A tidal wave came in and swept the mages onto the shore of island. Lucy was the first to awaken before she checked on Natsu. He had recovered from his motion sickness and the two asked each other if they received any injuries along the way. Thankfully there were none and Lucy was grateful to Natsu for him being so concerned about her wellbeing. He simply replied with a fanged grin and a slight rub of the back of his neck. They were able to wake up Happy and Gray before said Ice mage declared he was going to help see the mission through.

The four then proceeded onto the village and after a misunderstanding with the gate guards that nearly led to them being roasted by Natsu, they got stock of the situation. They were shocked and slightly upset at the state of the villagers. The determined mages were more than happy to aid the villagers in removing their plight and saving the day. The village chief was relieved for the help but was rather animate about having them destroy the moon. Lucy was the one who replied with the diplomatic answer of "we'll see".

The group turned in for the night, with Lucy cuddling up to Natsu for warmth and Happy sleeping in a hammock off to the side. Gray was by himself a good distance away from the cuddling duo of the fire breather and blonde celestial mage.

The next morning came and boy did Natsu and Lucy catch hell from the trolling Happy. Natsu didn't blush and if he did, he did a good job of hiding it by giving an annoyed look towards his traitorous best friend. Lucy was blushing madly and never bothered to look any of her friends in the eye. It's not her fault that her teammate was the best human pillow!

Gray of course didn't care much for it and decided to try and pick a fight with Natsu which was quickly defused by Lucy. The group ran into another unforeseen obstacle while traversing through the jungle… a giant rat wearing a girly top and a diaper.

Due to the rat's evil stink attack, Natsu was quickly out of commission due to his sense of smell being overloaded. Lucy was struggling to breathe after Horologium had left her so the fate of the group was left to Gray, who promptly hit the rat with an ice attack. The attack worked and to add insult to injury, Natsu joined Gray in beating up on an already downed rat.

After all that mess they had gone through, the group had stumbled upon a temple after further exploration of the island. They collectively figured that a clue to the curse could be found once they explored inside so that's what they did.

"Man this place looks old." Natsu commented.

"Tell me about it, this place looks like it's on its last legs. Makes me wonder how long it'll last while we're here." Gray added while he looked at the walls.

Happy was messing around looking at some ancient trinkets left behind near the walls and on the elevated platforms in the large room. Lucy was using her deductive skills while observing the ancient writings.

Natsu noticed his partner studying something so he went over to her with Gray and Happy in tow.

"Got something?" the fire breathing teen asked.

Lucy pointed at one of the carvings in the wall. What they saw was a set of carvings illustrating rituals involving the moon as well as carvings of the moon itself in all phases. The group was quite fortunate the native fauna of the island had not caused the structure to topple over completely.

"I wonder what it means." Happy thought aloud.

"Think it has something to do with the curse?" Gray questioned.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms under her bust before jutting a hip out.

"Maybe. There might be some sort of ritual that's affecting the villagers somehow and it involves the moon. That's my best theory so far." She answered while shaking her head.

Natsu nodded and decided to take a look around. It was only after a few steps that he noticed a loose tile and a hole in the floor. Being the curious little dragon he thought it would be okay to investigate. No harm done right?

Happy was the only one to notice Natsu step away from the group. The little blue cat watched on curiously as his adoptive father and partner give a few gentle taps to the floor.

After several taps the floor collapsed right beneath the group… only for them to comically glance at each other before falling.

( _"Uh-oh! Not good!"_ ) Natsu thought in slight panic.

He glanced around to see Happy using his claws to glue himself to a rock. He may not be the sharpest cat in the house but he could improvise when he needed to.

Gray was slowly but steadily regaining his senses and composure, as the fire breather surmised his rival was thinking of a way to save himself from the fall.

When Natsu spared a glance to the sole girl in their group… his hormones flared a little when he saw Lucy had a slight blush while trying to keep her skirt from showing her panties (no doubt a lacy pair).

Natsu figured her whip would have come in handy if not for the deep drop and with the ground closing in fast, the Fire Dragon Slayer used his flames to jettison himself over to her, bringing her close to his body and then summoning his flames beneath his feet as if to hover in place. However, he could only use his flames in such a way that they were used in short controlled bursts. Shakily, he lowered himself and Lucy to the ground before stumbling and falling on his butt, his blonde partner clutching onto his vest tightly.

Happy managed to fly off his rock buoy several meters before crashing into the ground and Gray had made a grappling hook using his magic. It appeared the mage had practiced that particular spell at varying heights.

Down on the ground, Natsu sighed relieved at the fact that they came out unscathed. He took a look at his blonde partner who was puffing her cheeks at him somewhat angrily. He only blinked a few times before letting out a chuckle.

"Sorry about that. Guess my curiosity got the better of me huh?" he said as he rubbed the back of his head.

Lucy replied first with a light slap on Natsu's chest making laugh more.

"You jerk! Warn us next time you do something so reckless! We could've gotten hurt!" She scolded.

"Sorry, sorry." He apologized, still wearing an innocent smile.

The Dragon Slayer helped his blonde partner back to her feet. That act alone seemed to earn her good graces again so she shot him a small smile.

"But you saved me so thanks. I owe you again Natsu." She thanked as she dusted herself off.

Natsu placed his hands behind his head and gave a fanged grin. He'd back his friends up and save them in a heartbeat if the situation asked for it. After all, Fairy Tail takes care of their own.

"Ah well y'know… still need a blonde and all." He joked.

Lucy of course was already set on walking into the dark path before her. She stopped and sent a coy smile over her shoulder to her partner.

"Still having trouble finding my replacement Natsu?" she playfully shot back.

He chuckled as he snapped his fingers and flames ignited in his right hand. He walked forward, knowing that Gray and Happy weren't too far behind him as they came back down.

"I think so. Means you're stuck with us just like we're stuck with you." He stated with a smirk.

They walked forward into the tunnel, side by side, way closer than they needed to be. Lucy gave a light nudge with her elbow to Natsu's midsection, causing the smiling teen to look at his companion who was also smiling.

"I don't mind that one bit there Dragon boy. Means I have to work harder to prove my place on the team right?"

He gave a good hearted laugh that made Lucy's heart flutter a bit so she crossed her hands behind her back as she looked at Natsu with a bright smile, magnified by the fire breather's flaming hand.

"Right. And knowing you, you'll be just fine."

They shared a laugh as Gray and Happy trailed behind him. Gray of course wanted to berate his rival for being so reckless and endangering their lives with his curiosity (and slight stupidity to boot). Happy called his human partners weird and had the funniest idea they might actually like each other. With a Cheshire grin and a snicker, the blue fur ball brought his paws to his furry little mug while concocting ways to troll his human companions.

Gray for the life of him couldn't figure out why Happy was snickering but it only made his mood all the more sour. He was really hating the fact he agreed to help them finish the mission. If only Natsu hadn't sucker kicked him…

The group continued on after Natsu and Lucy's short bout of banter and laughs. After several minutes Natsu and Lucy spotted a light at the end, signaling they had found an exit. The two teens then took off with Happy flying close behind and Gray hanging back, keeping up at his own pace.

After exiting everyone stopped and gaped at the sight in front of them.

"Holy crap!"

"What is that?!"

"Whoa…"

The words of the trio of Natsu, Happy and Lucy had gone unheard of by the Ice mage. His eyes were the size of pinpricks and he swore for what seemed like an eternity he could hear nothing but the fast beat of his own heart.

In the dark recesses of Gray's mind and very soul were memories he buried. He never liked opening up much. Hell, he never even opened up to the master much when he showed up on Fairy Tail's doorstep. His past was nothing short of brutal and it was a miracle he made it this far to begin with. Sadly though, he never confronted his past properly. And now that past was coming to bite him in the ass in the most unexpected of ways.

Taking a few slow but steady steps forward, Gray moved closer and closer to the icy coffin in front of him and his friends.

"This… this is…" he shakily began.

The rest of the group stopped their gawking and diverted their gaze to the ice mage. Natsu had a somewhat hard frown on his face. Gray never acted like this… ever! Dude was the epitome of a cool customer. Nothing should have been able to rattle him so easy yet the sight of whatever was trapped in the ice did just that.

"Gray?" Lucy worriedly called out.

Said teen dropped to his knees before going to all fours. Lucy was at his side immediately while Natsu looked on with concern in his eyes.

"Gray… do you know the monster trapped in the ice?" the celestial mage asked softly.

He looked at her and she flinched at all the emotions that were mixed into his dark colored eyes. Anger, sadness, anxiety, confusion and most of all… fear.

She watched as he switched his gaze from her to the giant beast trapped in the icy tomb.

"That's… Deliora… a demon of destruction…" he growled lowly.

"Like Lullaby?" Lucy asked not hiding her shock.

He nodded and her brows furrowed further in worry. Natsu's ears twitched as soon as he heard voices approaching on the other side of the large cave.

"Lucy." He said getting her attention.

The blonde turned to Natsu and caught his nod. She looked and focused her hearing on the other entrance to the cave. Once Lucy caught on she yanked Gray to his feet before motioning for everyone to hide. Natsu was reluctant to hide from potential threats but Happy was able to convince him. The whole group peeked over the rocks but while doing so, Natsu and Lucy brushed against each other. They muttered quick apologies to each other before turning their attention back to the other cave entrance to see two new faces.

The first was strange dog looking man with no shirt and baggy pants.

The second was a teen wearing an overcoat, with slightly spikey hair and insanely thick eyebrows… wait a sec what?

"I thought for sure I heard voices in here." Eyebrows commented.

The dog man was humming and nodding to anything his companion said.

Natsu and his team watched as the two kept looking around for possible intruders. Natsu immediately figured these two new guys weren't natives of Galuna.

"And here I was hoping to get a nap in. Oh well…"

Eyebrows turned to Dog face who was still just agreeing to what he said without using words.

"Have you been exposed to the Moon Drip for too long Toby? I mean just look at those ears…" he commented with a thickly raised eyebrow (seriously he almost puts Might Guy and Rock Lee to shame… almost).

"I ain't exposed to no Moon Drip Yuka! You know that! These ears are just for show!" He responded in comical anger.

As if to prove Yuka wrong, Toby took the faux cat ears off his head. Yuka wondered why in the world Toby would wear cat ears when he looks like a dog more than anything.

"I was just kidding Toby, Relax." Yuka said with a shake of his head.

The Fairy Tail group remained quiet as they watched Toby and Yuka interact while searching for intruders.

( _"Yep, definitely not natives to the island. Do they have something to do with the curse?"_ ) Natsu wondered.

( _"Moon Drip? Is that the name of the curse? I don't have access to a book for help but maybe one of my spirits knows something."_ ) Lucy thought.

"Yuka! Toby!"

Everyone's sights were directed towards the newest visitor to the cave. She was a rather pretty girl with bubble gum pink colored hair in high twin pigtails. She wore a casual mini-dress (maybe a tank top and a skirt) complimented by thigh high leather boots. (Seriously though… Sherry ain't nothing to scoff at. On a scale of 1 to 10, she's an 8.5. Point is she's gorgeous even with the whole love thing going on. Still has nothing on the Fairy Girls though… just saying.)

"It's a terrible tragedy! Someone has hurt my dear Angelica!" she exclaimed in faux sadness.

Yuka's left caterpillar brow twitched (this guy almost got a unibrow going on and in all honesty he could pull it off if he wanted to).

"Sherry… it's just a rat." He tried to deadpan.

Sherry walked over quickly to Yuka before slapping him twice, forehand then backhand. He blinked a few times before looking at her incredulously. The pink haired girl cupped her hands and walked away from Yuka in some bout of insane sadness.

"My dear Angelica is not just a rat! She is a crusader and an avenger for justice…"

Yuka felt a vein pop in his forehead as his left brow twitched a little more violently this time. Toby could only nervously glance at the other male in the group. Sherry spun around before facing them with some insane lovesick expression.

"…and Love!" she exclaimed in dramatic fashion.

Yuka couldn't help himself and face palmed with a frustrated sigh. The Fairy Tail mages couldn't help but feel pity for the guy. He must have dealt with this on a daily basis. At least Toby was handling it better than he was.

"Enough about that… we have intruders on the island." Yuka announced.

The other two were paying rapt attention and quit with the antics.

"The attack on 'Angelica' only proves as much. We shall inform Reitei of these developments and hopefully receive orders to eliminate these intruders ourselves."

Yuka walked away with Toby and Sherry following behind him.

"We're so close to achieving Reitei's dream… our dream. We shall not anyone or anything to stand in our way now."

"Yeah! Those guys won't stand a chance!"

"For Love and my dear Reitei we shall not fail!"

The odd ball trio left the cave and the Fairy Tail mages slowly filed out from behind the group of rocks.

"That was something." Natsu commented as he put his hands behind his head.

Lucy walked over to his side as did Happy. Gray was still stewing in whatever funk he just found himself in.

"Yeah, no kidding." Happy seconded with a rare frown.

"They mentioned some guy named Reitei and a thing called the 'Moon Drip'. Are those two things ringing a bell with you guys at all?" Lucy asked.

Both her partners shook their heads and she sighed.

"I figured as much."

They looked to the monster, or in this case demon trapped in the ice. Then the trio looked over to Gray who was still not himself.

"Something tells me there's a story between Gray and this 'Deliora' thing." Lucy stated with a frown.

"Same here."

Lucy glanced over to her partner urging him to continue. Natsu then folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"Everyone has a story in Fairy Tail, as Mira probably told you. Whatever story Gray has…"

The young Dragon Slayer opened his eyes and looked towards Deliora as did Lucy.

"Is something he would never tell in a million years. This demon probably did something bad to him before he joined Fairy Tail. But if we're going to help the villagers we need to know everything."

The two looked over to see Gray seething at the demon in the ice.

"And I do mean everything." Natsu finished.

Lucy put a hand on his shoulder and he looked to her.

"I'll ask the questions and form a plan. You hang back ok?"

He nodded and walked over to relax over by the rocks nearby with Happy. Lucy strolled over to Gray with a serious demeanor. So serious it took him off guard once he actually noticed her. The celestial mage crossed her arms under bust and jutted her hip out.

"Alright Gray… what do you know about Deliora?" She asked in a tone that would impress Erza.

He flinched for a moment before lowering his head. He never knew a day like this would come. He had kept his past close to his chest since joining Fairy Tail. Gray never liked opening up about his feelings and stuff like that. One it was a guy thing but Elfman would disagree and call it 'manly' to be emotional. And two, the past still hurt to think about when a certain time of year came. Hell he even had nightmares because of what he experienced all those years ago in the Land of Isvan. The PTSD he had took a few years to get over… but now it all came crashing down.

"Look at me Gray." Lucy softy commanded.

He slowly looked her in her chocolate orbs and couldn't help but still feel the uneasiness. But the worry and concern in her eyes betrayed her stern expression. He could tell she just wanted answers while wanting to help him.

"Those villagers need our help. Those guys and Deliora may be the only lead we have in saving them so please… tell us what you know. That's all we're asking for." Lucy urged.

Gray looked down again and sighed. He stuck his hands in his pockets before turning to look at the wretched demon again.

"You may want to sit down for this. I got a story to tell and it ain't pretty at all." He said in response.

Lucy did just that and with Natsu and Happy nearby, the trio spent the next hour or so listening to Gray's tale before planning their next move.

* * *

 **Off the coast of Fiore, Southeast of Hargeon**

 **Evening/Night**

Out on the seas was a small convoy of three ships. Now unlike the normal ones parked around Fiore's coastline that belonged to merchants, fisherman and even the military of both the Kingdom and the Magic Council, these ships were different.

Sailing under the orange-red sky were a convoy of ships belonging to privateers… better known by reputation as Pirates. However, their pirates life was interrupted by two strange passengers that had forcefully commandeered their lead ship.

"Move it you scally wags! There is no rest for the weary! We must move onward towards Galuna Island at all costs!"

Sprawled out on the deck of the lead ship were several members of the crew, exhausted while several others were running on fumes picking up their slack.

Manning the wheel on the stern was the captain who had a pig nose, wearing his coat, hat and… a pair of heart boxers. That's just embarrassing.

What is even more embarrassing is that he wasn't even giving the orders.

Standing behind him were two fierce warriors from the legendary yet infamous magic guild Fairy Tail.

One was a scarlet haired knight in armor and a pirate's sword at the hip… it was the captain's sword.

The other was a fierce looking man in armor he had never seen before, wearing shades even as the sun was in the process of going down and a bandana that although made him more badass had a hip look to it. The spikey haired stranger would have been a perfect member of the pirate captain's crew.

The spikey haired man turned to the redhead with his arms crossed.

"Did you have to take his sword Erza?" He asked in disbelief.

Erza simply glanced over, not bothering to turn her head.

"Yes Bardock. He wasn't putting such a fine weapon to proper use so I convinced him to let me have it." She replied with pride.

"Even though it doesn't go with your armor at all?" Bardock questioned with a raised brow.

Erza was stunned at first before taking a thinking stance. She hummed for a few moments before nodding.

"You have a point. I should have dressed appropriately for the occasion. Thank you for the advice, it was rather insightful." The knight said with a smile.

"Really… wasn't trying to help but sure, no problem." He said with a shrug.

They stood there, not speaking for several moments as the wind blew. The gulls had all gone to shore leaving only the sound of the waves, ships and crew.

"By the way…"

Bardock hummed not bothering to look at his traveling companion.

"You said you have the ability to sense one's energy. Given we're closing in on the island in several hours…"

"I'm still working on distances when it comes to doing that. But I will let you know if there's trouble, so relax." He said cutting her off.

Erza stood there several moments looking at the Saiyan intensely. She gave a nod before returning her gaze to the sea.

As much as he hated traveling at the pace of a space slug's ass, Bardock figured traveling by boat would give him more time to work on mastering his Ki sensory abilities. As of yesterday he could gauge the different energies within the train hub city of Oshibana, meaning his sensory extended to large towns or cities. All that damage he took from Dodoria's ambush and Frieza's attack in addition to the training he's done since arriving here some time ago has proved fruitful.

To be frank, Bardock was building his skills and his power. As a member in the Saiyan Army under Frieza's rule, he never had the time to truly cut loose and train to his heart's content. In addition to that, the only worthy opponents Bardock could ever fight or train with were his fellow Saiyans. No enemies he encountered on missions had ever given a problem… except on three or four different occasions. One of those occasions was directly responsible for the birth of his eldest son and Gine's subsequent discharge from active duty.

Now with resources and a steady source of income, Bardock had everything he needed to train, fight, survive and win. He was brought to Earth Land for a purpose… the least he could do was see it through. And damn was he going to be strong when all was said and done.

The Queen of the Fairies had her mind on other things.

( _"Although his past makes him suspicious, he really isn't all that bad once you're around him."_ ) Erza thought as her eyes shifted left.

The sea breeze and the sound of the waves were rather soothing to the knight. She didn't have that much experience out at sea other than… that time. But she wasn't a little girl anymore and she was stronger than before. Much stronger.

But back to the now…

Erza didn't like or trust Bardock all that much following the Lullaby incident as well as the trial. She still dwelled on the fact his past was a bloody one yet he didn't show remorse or regret. Then again when she took the time to calm down and think about it… he's a different man from what little she knows of his past. People can change with time so why couldn't he? Bardock showed Eisenwald mercy even if he brutalized Erigor. He's shown some form of civility and kindness to Erza's fellow Fairy Girls in the forms of Mira, Cana and Levy (obviously Lucy too). Despite his unpredictability in his mood sometimes, he has some Fairy Tail spirit in him. He would deny it in all likelihood but she could see something like that in Bardock's being. The scary thing about him though was the amount of power he wielded and if he had any limits at all. Who would keep him in check if he were to be turned? Who stops the unstoppable?

( _"I may not trust him much but…"_ )

She grew a small smile and closed her eyes. She had come to a decision.

( _"I should give him a chance anyways. It's only fair."_ )

She may not like him or trust him… but Erza Scarlet was willing to keep an open mind. He may be stronger than Master Makarov or even herself, but she was willing to look past that and take a blind leap of faith. Bardock was a member of Fairy Tail now and no matter his past she would be there to fight by his side, even if he didn't request her to do so.

Little did she know, one of Bardock's secrets was about to be displayed in all its glory within the coming 24 hours. And the aftermath that would follow was going to rock her world and the world of her teammates on Galuna.

* * *

 **Cave of the Demon, Galuna Island**

 **Evening/Night**

It had been several hours since the team had decided to do a stakeout in the cave containing Deliora. And in that time they learned some things…

Gray was very forthcoming of his story and how Deliora tied into his origins… but doing that opened up old wounds.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy were shocked and horrified to learn that the demon they shared a cave with had virtually taking everything away from their friend. His village and parents all gone and poor Gray was too powerless to stop it. Happy was rather saddened because such a horrible thing happened to such a good guy like Gray. Natsu and Lucy of course sent their hearts out to the Ice mage. They had somewhat similar experiences with the loss of parents in a sense. Natsu of course still had someone out there but he didn't know where he was. Lucy on other hand was different. Only one of her parents remained and there was no way in hell she would ever go back to him again.

Gray's story shifted to where he eventually found his master Ur and her student who went by the name of Lyon Vastia. Like Gray, Lyon too lost everything to Deliora and hoped to learn from a strong mage and avenge his people. They formed a tight bond and over the course of time, Ur had become a second mother to Gray and Lyon. They ate together, trained together and shared precious memories together. It was rather heartwarming to hear but this story obviously didn't have a happy ending. Natsu saw this coming and didn't want to ask but knew he would find out. Lucy on the other hand steeled herself asked that dreaded question. For what seemed like an eternity, Gray stared at the ice with sadness and regret. Then he told him of that fateful day…

It was chaotic.

Deliora made moves and Gray at the time figured he could take on the demon with what little magic he had. He disobeyed Ur's orders and denounced himself as her student. It didn't end well and he ended up being rescued by Ur while Lyon assisted in evacuating the citizens of the village.

After several minutes of fighting, Ur lost a part of her right leg below the knee and had exhausted her magic to a point she was barely standing. All the while, Deliora had taken on minimal damage and seeing his foe was no longer in fighting shape, decided not finish her off out of pity. It was then the trio of Natsu, Lucy and Happy learned of Ur's fate…

 **Lost Iced Shell**.

The reward in using this spell is that the target is trapped in ice for almost an eternity. Meaning unless there's a really strong fire magic or special type of melting spell maybe even ritual, the target is stuck in the ice forever.

The consequences… the user uses both their magic and their life essence to seal their intended target. Meaning that fateful day, Ur gave it all to permanently seal Deliora away.

Lucy and Happy couldn't help the sadness that came over their faces. Lucy hated the reality that mages could face death one day doing something so noble and yet… they were forgotten. Worst off, she worried when the day came that it would be her turn. Or Erza's. Maybe even Gray's. Hell, she couldn't even fathom something like that happening to Bardock, he was just too strong. And the horrid thought came if anything were to happen to Natsu and Happy. She stopped herself before that line of thinking got worse.

Gray then covered the subsequent aftermath starting with Lyon denouncing their teacher before going their separate ways. And it ended with him eventually taking his master's advice and going west, coming across Fairy Tail. The rest they kind of had a feeling they knew.

After giving Gray words of encouragement and hope, the team strategized for their next move. Natsu obviously wanted to chase those three strangers down and beat them up for answers. To his disappointment and irritation both Lucy and Gray said no. Gray had suggested a stakeout until nightfall which Lucy agreed to even though she voiced it was a bad idea, although better than Natsu's plan.

Since that time Gray had sat quietly a good distance away from Natsu and his partners. Speaking of…

Lucy had found a decent spot against a set of rocks next to their hiding spot. Happy was in her lap, purring as he slept. The Celestial mage had stroked his fur and that was the catalyst to him ending up comfortably out cold. Meanwhile, Natsu sat right next to her and was rather close… too close in fact. But she didn't mind. The only problem was the Fire Dragon Slayer was bored out of his mind so he dozed off only to wake a few hours later.

"I wonder when the action is gonna start…" Natsu said with a slight yawn.

"Who knows honestly? Seriously though Natsu you're such a fighting junkie. Doesn't it get old after a while?" Lucy remarked with a frown.

"Not really, no." Natsu said with a raised brow.

She sighed slightly exasperated. Apparently Natsu loved four things: family, friends, food and fighting. Depending on what mood he was in, the order of those things changed consistently.

She liked Natsu though! Don't get it twisted! In the short time she has been a part of Fairy Tail, she took a liking to Natsu and his unique personality. Plus the magic he used enforced her theory about the way he acted sometimes. There also times where she just couldn't get a read on him and surprisingly she liked that. That just meant anything unpredictable that Natsu did would keep her on her toes. And being with an unpredictable person of interest meant more adventures as well as more memories.

"I figured as much."

Happy continued to purr as he slept, bringing soft smiles to both Natsu and Lucy's face. Thinking back on the happier moments of her past, Lucy reminisced a little.

"You know something?" she pondered aloud.

Natsu hummed as he continued to watch his partner stroke his little buddy's fur.

"Its nights like these when my mom and I would go stargazing. She even sang some songs just to pass the time."

There was happiness there but there was also sadness there too. Natsu figured Lucy had some sort of bad history involving her parents like him and Gray, but didn't press at all. Wanting to lighten up his partner's mood some he thought of something.

"Know of any good songs you can sing now?" He asked with a smile.

She looked at him with a surprised look for several moments before a look of realization hit. There was in fact celestial spirit she had contracted to her that she hadn't seen in what felt like ages. Truth was this spirit hadn't seen Lucy since Lucy ran away. What Lucy ran away from and why she did so is a tale not for this time…

"Yes! Which gives me an idea!" She exclaimed with an excited gleam in her eyes.

This brought confusion to Natsu's face while Lucy fished a key from her pouch.

"Open Gate of the Lyre! Lyra!"

*Ding-Dong**Poof*

Coming from the celestial realm this time was a young girl who looked to be in her early teens. She had waist length strawberry blonde colored hair that curled at the end and wore a pink bonnet on her head. What stood out was the prominent blush marks on her cheeks as well as her pretty, long dress with golden hearts printed around the waist. She wore leather shoes and had small white angel wings. Oh and she carried a large metallic blue harp around with her.

"Miss Lucy!" Lyra beamed with a giddy grin.

"Lyra!" Lucy beamed back.

Both girls crashed into each other, hugging like there was no tomorrow. Natsu was slightly baffled by their behavior before shrugging. He kind of wanted to hear Lucy sing a song or two but he guessed whatever this was would do too.

"Miss Lucy it's been too long! How I've missed you so! You rarely ever call me anymore though!" Lyra lightly whined.

"It's kind of hard to do that when I can only summon you three days a month though." Lucy retorted with a sweat drop.

"Oh! If that's the case I can do my best to make more time for my friend and summoner!"

That beaming smile and gleefulness was awfully infectious. Natsu couldn't help but smile away. Girls and Celestial Spirits were weird when he thought about it. Although at times he wasn't as dense when it came to interactions with Lucy in particular… that was still somewhat of a mystery to him.

A yawn caught everyone's attention as Happy was awaking from his nap, rubbing his eyes while doing so.

"What time is it?" He muttered.

Natsu offered a grin while Lucy smiled as their other partner got up from Lucy's lap and set next to her. He smacked his lips before looking at his human companions.

"Did I miss anything Natsu?" Happy questioned with his usual smile.

"Nope. But Lucy brought out a spirit to sing to us though!" he replied.

"Does she know a song about fish?" the cat asked somewhat excitedly.

"You'll just have to find out won't you?" Lucy answered with a smile.

The Celestial mage gave Lyra a nod and the Celestial spirit squealed in delight before bringing her harp to the forefront. She started with a few experimental plucks, testing the waters on how she would sing her tune. She hummed a few moments, audible enough for everyone to at least get an idea of what she might sing.

 _A word just born…_

 _A word fading away…_

"Whoa!" Happy uttered in awe.

Lucy beamed a smile as she leaned in to Natsu more, who silently enjoyed the contact if his widening smile was any proof. The beautiful melody echoed off the cavern walls as Lyra continued…

 _A word that lives strong within you…_

 _The time that leaves you stopped…_

… _becomes your courage…_

Natsu tilted his head back and closed his eyes, body relaxing completely. Even though he felt Lucy lay her head on his shoulder he didn't mind one bit. This was a blissful peace he would soak in for as long as possible. Happy just sat there smiling with his tail wagging back and forth in a pleased manner.

 _Now forge on ahead!_

 _The you of the past is gone!_

 _You're now so strong!_

 _Never hesitate!_

 _Remember those long-ago words and believe!_

The melody slowly faded into its conclusion and the moods of Natsu, Lucy and Happy brightened ever more. However their smiles vanished when they heard stifled sobbing coming from in front of them. Sitting right in front of Deliora after opening up to his teammates was Gray… and he tried desperately to not show his comrades his tears.

( _"Gray?"_ ) Natsu thought with a slight frown.

"Is he crying?" Happy asked with mirroring frown.

Lucy quickly got up much to Natsu's dismay. She rushed over and put a hand on Gray's shoulder, offering some form of comfort. The Ice mage of course shrugged her off but not without saying a thank you. Had that not happened Natsu would have acted on his impulse of punching him in the face. Those dragon instincts of his were acting up more often when he was with Lucy and not just when he was in a fight. He wasn't as dense as everyone thought but he was still sorting things out that he didn't have a complete understanding of.

The team decided it be best if Lyra didn't sing anymore so as to not compromise their position to their potential foes, which the Celestial spirit understood even if she was slightly upset at the fact she couldn't sing anymore this night. Lucy decided to get a quick nap in, resuming her position next to Natsu with her head on his shoulder. He of course fell back asleep and figured Gray would alert them to anything. Happy slept next to Lucy with a snot bubble expanding and deflating with each breath he took.

Things seemed peaceful until the night gave way to a strange event. A beam of moonlight shined down through the ceiling of the cave and gave off a strange sound while doing so. But the most interesting thing was the beam was directed at the ice containing Deliora… and that put Gray on the alert.

( _"What the…!"_ ) Gray thought, slightly alarmed.

The others were on their feet in moments, confusion and slight panic swirling in their minds.

"Whoa what's that?!" Natsu exclaimed in surprise.

"Guys! It's coming from the ceiling!" Lucy pointed out.

That's when they felt it… magic mixed with the beam shining down on the ice. It felt weird of course but not harmful enough to warrant worry. Gray clinched his fists before taking off towards the stairs. Natsu was hot on his heels with Lucy and Happy trailing close.

"We gotta find the source! Let's go!"

"Right!"

The group went up the stairs and found themselves within the old temple again. They were relieved they hadn't fallen too far down when Natsu accidentally collapsed the floor. Said fire mage was annoyed when he found out about the many floors the temple had while tracing the origin of the beam.

After finally finding the exit, the Fairy Tail mages made their way towards the ritual grounds that sat atop the temple they were just in. Little did they know, they weren't the only ones who had interest in what was going on…

* * *

 **Somewhere on Galuna Island, Near the ritual grounds**

The one known as Nicky approached the group of his fellow Makyan Demons from the shadows of their secluded hideout. The others were now wearing different colored cloaks as a show of unity and loyalty behind their powerful leader. The others turned had turned with expectant looks under their hoods, hoping their brother in arms brought the good news.

"My lord…" Nicky started with a grin.

The shortest and most powerful of the group turned his body fully around.

"Yes?" the leader said, in a tone mixed with evil intent and excitement.

"It's time."

Everyone, even Vinegar, grinned manically at the announcement…

The time had come to bring chaos to this world!

"Excellent. Then it is time for the first phase of the plan." The leader stated with an evil grin.

* * *

 **Galuna Island Ritual Grounds (Top of the Ruined Temple)**

The team found themselves behind what was left of a broken wall overlooking the strange ritual conducted by people in dark robes.

"I wonder what they're doing…" Natsu commented with a serious face.

"This chanting… it must be some sort of ritual that has to do with the beam." Lucy thought aloud.

"It's the Moon Drip."

The others heads snapped to the being at Lucy's left… it was Lyra.

…

…

Wait isn't she supposed to be in the Celestial Realm though?

"I thought I sent you back Lyra…" Lucy stated a bit nervously.

Apparently the blonde haired girl forgot to close her gate after she sung the one song while they were in the cave. Lyra ignored the remark from her summoner and continued on.

"The ritual is a Belianese chant, very ancient. They must be using the ritual in order to revive the demon below." Lyra deduced.

"Impossible! That's Iced Shell Deliora's trapped in! No way it can be melted!" Gray exclaimed in disbelief and slight fear.

"Unfortunately, Moon Drip is a special spell that has the power to melt the ice. With the combined power of magic and the moon itself, this spell can dispel any other spell it's targeted." Lyra explained.

"No way…" Happy said stunned.

Gray was sweating bullets and his nerves were wrecked. He couldn't believe how stupid these people were in doing something so dangerous. His knuckles turned raw white as he clenched them tightly.

( _"Those fools! Those damn fools! They don't know what they're dealing with!"_ )

Natsu, even with his limited brain power got the gist of it. Whatever those people in robes were doing, was bad because they were close to resurrecting a demon. Worst off they were practically melting the ice that used to be Gray's teacher and that was big no-no. Lucy was worried and a bit on edge. She hoped they could come up with a plan soon or all would be lost and the villagers would suffer for the rest of their days.

"In addition to that, this ritual has afflicted the villagers you met with. But what you saw were side effects."

"Meaning what exactly Lyra?" Lucy asked.

"That the concentration of magic has produced an effect that would pollute the human body, corrupting it." She finished grimly.

Natsu and Gray were about to give their two cents until they heard several voices, three of which they recognized.

"You say there were intruders?"

"Yes, Lord Reitei but there appears to be no sign of them."

The Fairy Tail mages looked to see Yuka, Toby and Sherry trailing a young man that was younger than he appeared and an older male who was sitting on a crystal ball.

The younger man wore a strange helmet exposing the lower half of his face, a cape with some fur trim on the shoulders and collar, a blue tunic, blue pants and dark colored boots. This was Lord Reitei but Gray recognized him as someone else once he heard his voice.

The older man wore a large tribal mask accompanied by a head dress that allowed his jaw to show. His outfit was a tribal shirt with matching pants and dark shoes with no socks. This was Zalty, Reitei's advisor in his plans.

"It makes no difference Yuka. No one can stop us now. Zalty!"

"Yes my lord?" Zalty answered with a grin.

"How long until Deliora is revived?" Reitei questioned.

"Given all has been going as designed, Deliora should be revived by tomorrow night."

Reitei couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face. The time had nearly come to complete the objective… his dream was about to be realized. It had taken him a few years and cost him some jewel but it was all worth it.

( _"At last… my dream will finally be realized. No one will be able to stop me. Not the Magic Council. Not Ur. And certainly not you…Gray."_ )

On the other side, the Fairy Tail mages and lone Celestial spirit were shocked at the news. In one night Deliora would be unleashed from his icy coffin. They all had the collective foreboding thought that things were going to get worse… way worse.

"We gotta stop em!" Natsu stated with determination.

Gray wasn't paying any attention as he zeroed in on the one known as Reitei. He knew whose voice that was. What shocked and angered the Ice mage was whatever selfish reason he was doing it, Reitei was committing a grievous error in trying to resurrect a demon. No… not Reitei, the Cold Emperor…

( _"Lyon…"_ ) Gray growled internally.

After a moment or two of silence, minus the chanting going on, Reitie turned towards his lackeys ready to issue orders.

"Given these recent developments, it's best not to take any chances." Reitei said with caution.

"I agree."

A sickly, sinister voice brought everyone's attention to some mysterious, new arrivals. Six figures, all in cloaks, approached Reitei's group at a slow pace before stopping several meters away. The shortest one among them took several more steps ahead of his men before only being a couple of meters away from the Cold Emperor.

Yuka, Toby, Sherry and even Zalty were on edge at the sudden appearance of this new group. Reitei kept his composure and turned to face the group's leader fully.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The short man (?) glanced around at Reitei's group, his gaze lasting longer than necessary on Zalty, who seemed a bit more nervous than before. He looked at Reitei and underneath the hood he smirked.

"It seems you require assistance with a matter involving magic. My group and I were in the neighborhood and I suggested that we assist you in your endeavors almighty Reitei." He stated with a slight bow.

Snickers were heard among his men and that did not sit well with Reitei's group. Of course said man held up a hand silently telling them to stand down. He was under the impression he could handle this stranger and his men… but that remained to be seen.

"I see… and your name is?" Reitei trailed.

"Junior. Garlic Jr."

Reitei's frown was a clue to an incredulous look underneath the mask, the same could be said for most of his group minus Toby who was trying to hold in a laugh. But a growl from one of Garlic Jr.'s men quickly put an end to that. With the Fairy Tail group, Natsu found the guy's name funny while Lucy thought it was weird and a bit cruel.

Garlic Jr. simply chuckled before continuing.

"Don't let the name fool you my friend. I am quite powerful in my own right when it comes to all things magic."

He gestured to his men next, Reitei taking a calculating gaze on each of them.

"The same can be said for my men. Our goals align you see."

"Oh really?" Reitei asked skeptically.

"Indeed." Garlic Jr. replied with a nod.

The Makyan Demon under the cloak gave a sad sigh and took Reitei's silence as a cue to go on. He somehow got an audience with the young mage, now time for the execution.

"You see, the demon trapped in that ice caused my men and I great sorrow. During the time of the demon's rampage, we lost our families and friends in one attack."

This caught everyone's attention. Garlic Jr. was wronged by Deliora? Reitei had a hard time buying it but this sob story interested him a little.

"Since then my men and I learned all we could about magic, preparing for the demon's return until one day we heard the demon had been sealed away."

Reitei had no visible reaction but he remembers that day all too well. That was the day everything changed.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy spared Gray a glance and they weren't surprised he was still on edge. But that didn't mean they weren't either. Lucy and Happy were obviously creeped out by the new guys, which was understandable. But Natsu? His dragon senses were telling him these new guys were bad news. Reitei's group wasn't too much of a challenge in his eyes. He was the Salamander of Fairy Tail! He could take on these scrubs! But Garlic Jr. and his 'gang'? That was an unknown he didn't want to mess with at all. Although he kept his cool somewhat, better than Gray at least, he was slightly panicking. This wasn't supposed to go down like this.

"But once I heard that you planned to resurrect the demon to destroy it…"

The malicious grin underneath the hood finally showed itself and Reitei found himself frowning even further than before. Whatever was under that hood was not human. It couldn't be.

"I thought it'd be best we come to aid you so you can fulfill our dreams as well as yours. We want to see the destruction of Deliora with our own eyes and we are willing to lend our power to you at your request."

In a surprising turn, Garlic Jr. and his men all got on one knee before bowing their head in reverence, as if pledging their loyalty. Reitei was slightly taken aback by this as was the rest of his group. The Fairy Tail mages all silently speculated at what exactly they were witnessing.

Reitei schooled his features before giving off a small chuckle and a confident smirk.

"I thank you for that. As tempting as that sounds, I will have to decline."

He turned around, cape flapping ever so slightly, slowly walking back to his group to give them their orders. Sherry smiled dreamily at her leader while Toby and Yuka looked the same as they did before. Zalty was still acting wary of these strangers, especially Garlic Jr.

"But you are more than welcome to stick around and watch the show. It will be a glorious day for not just myself but for us all. I'm sure you understand." He remarked.

Garlic Jr. slowly raised his head, demonic eyes boring into Reitei's back. That grin of his now hid his fangs that he purposely showed earlier.

"Oh but I do understand… Lyon Vastia."

A tense silence filled the air along with the continued chanting of the robed ones.

Lyon's eyes widened in shock before his orbs started to burn in an ever-growing fury. Sherry and Zalty both couldn't but stare at Garlic Jr. in shock, mouths agape. Toby and Yuka were nervously glancing between their leader and the imp in the cloak.

Gray found himself staring, ears deaf to the outside world. He couldn't believe it. But this man… Garlic Jr. confirmed what he suspected when he heard Reitei's… no Lyon's voice out loud. Natsu, Lucy and Happy were stunned obviously at the revelation. They took a moment to look at Gray and his face confirmed it for them… it was the same guy. The man known as Reitei was in reality Lyon Vastia, former student of Ur and the one who was attempting to free the same demon that was responsible for the demise of his teacher.

Lyon left his helmet on but couldn't help but feel angry. Somehow this man before him knew his name which begged the question… what else did he know?

He spun on his heel and was glaring heavily at the imp in the cloak.

"Who are you and how the hell did you know my name?!" Lyon snarled.

He got snickers from Garlic Jr.'s enforcers as they all slowly rose from their kneeling position. They wouldn't give away their true objective and true nature… at least for the moment.

"As I said before my name is Garlic Jr. And as to how I know who you are…"

He turned around before walking back to his men, which further infuriated Lyon to no end.

"I know many things. But that is neither here nor there. The truth is our goals are rather similar and I see that we need each other in order to succeed." He said

Lyon narrowed his eyes as he mulled over that statement for a moment. He honestly couldn't bring himself to trust… whatever that was under the hood. If what he saw earlier was evident, Garlic Jr. couldn't have been human. But Garlic Jr. knew too much and if anyone from the mainland had heard of Lyon's activities, even once Deliora was resurrected the consequences would be severe. He just couldn't take the chance.

"You say that you want to help. You say that we need each other yet I don't see a reason why I shouldn't just get rid of you and your men right now. By all means give me a single reason why I should accept your 'offer'?" He questioned as magic flowed in his right hand.

More snickers that seemed condescending was really tempting Lyon to just literally ice these strangers and be done with it. Garlic Jr. on the other hand wanted to encourage his men but he could worry about looking down on pathetic humans later.

"Because even once you release Deliora, what can you prove fighting a creature that's lost all of its power?"

"What do you mean?"

Garlic Jr. shook his head at the young man's lack of patience. These wizards truly were pathetic in his mind.

"Your teacher sealed the monster years ago as you know." He began.

"Yes, I know this. What of it?"

"What you don't know or even realize is that thanks to your master, Deliora has slowly but assuredly lost almost all his power since being sealed away." Garlic Jr. explained with a fanged smirk.

Lyon visibly recoiled as did everyone else who was nearby. If what Garlic Jr. said was true, this meant the Moon Drip ritual was pointless. And if it was virtually pointless, why would the imp man still help?

"So… can someone translate that for me?" Natsu whispered.

"Basically the spell they're using is releasing a demon that's practically powerless." Lucy replied.

"Oh. Well that's good." He said in slight relief.

"What's not good is the fact Lyon is still willing to go through with this." Gray chimed in angrily.

"And not to mention we still have to get answers and help the villagers." Lucy stated with a worried frown.

That was going to be even more difficult with Garlic Jr. involved.

"And you know this how?" Lyon asked through gritted teeth.

"I am very talented in two different energies, one of which is magic."

Lyon looked at him questioningly, the Makyan took this as a sign to continue.

"The other I cannot say but all you should know is that it is highly potent and stronger than magic could ever be. But back to the matter at hand…"

Garlic Jr. then gestured over to the ritual circle, the robed ones were still chanting even with the ongoing discussion regarding their ritual's target.

"Deliora is running low on power and near death. My proposition is that my men and I will assist you in Deliora's resurrection so that you have a formidable foe to aid in your ascension of the strongest Ice wizard in the land." He proposed.

There it was.

A deal so tempting, it catered to Lyon's already massive ego. He had everything in place, had the necessary help to deal with outside interference and had everything setup to free Deliora and destroy him. But if what Garlic Jr. said was true, these last few years of his life have been wasted, transporting a dying demon just to see it become dust before he could rightfully surpass his late master. In that moment, Lyon found himself questioning things and becoming desperate. Should he take Garlic Jr. for his word? Should he continue on and kill Garlic Jr.? What should he do?

Garlic Jr. was very well aware of Lyon's internal dilemma that he helped instigate. The Makyan demon's plan was working so far and phase one was nearly complete. If, no… when Lyon was on board he would use the egotistical Ice mage until Deliora was freed and his target was on the island. And if Lyon got in the way… well there was no point in keeping a loose end around. The only concern would be what his superior would say should he interfere with this world too much.

He was brought out of his musings as Lyon approached him, his helmet in hand revealing the spikey white hair and small sized pupils.

"Given the circumstances I've decided to accept your offer. However, I would like to hear more details. I do believe it's only fair to know of your true objectives before we proceed with this… partnership." Lyon said in an even tone.

"You won't be disappointed Mr. Vastia I assure you. I will be more than happy to tell you more of my plan in due time." The Makyan replied with a fanged smirk still evident.

Zalty was slightly alarmed but kept his composure despite the worried expression. He floated over to voice his concerns.

"My lord are you sure about this? For all we know this man-"

"This man will help finish what you help me start Zalty. That said I'm quite disappointed you didn't take into account the fact my master's sealing of Deliora would drain it of all its power." Lyon interrupted.

"But-"

"You will not question me on this Zalty. Is that understood?"

Zalty was silent for a moment, eyeing both Lyon and Garlic Jr. who was smirking even wider.

"Of course." Zalty grumbled irritably.

"Good."

Lyon then turned his attention back to Garlic Jr., the stoic frown changing into a prideful smirk.

"By any chance Garlic Jr., do you and your men happen to be the intruders my people were looking for earlier?" He asked.

The Fairy Tail group tensed as silence permeated outside of the ongoing chanting. Then to their shock and fear, Garlic Jr. and his men slowly turned their heads to the wall they were hiding behind. Natsu swore for a moment he could see their fanged smiles and grins underneath their shadowy cloaks. It was that moment his gut feeling from earlier was now telling him to run and hide. And when Natsu's dragon instincts spoke…

"Heavens no! The intruders your lackeys were looking for…"

Nicky stepped off to the side and held out his hand. Though Lyon kept his composure, he was highly disturbed by the blue hand that emerged from beneath the cloak. The same could not be said for Lyon's group as they all recoiled, just now realizing what their leader had just done.

Nicky gathered a dark colored Ki orb mixed magic before, priming it as to give a warning. Natsu noticed this and immediately panicked.

( _"Oh crap!"_ )

Natsu moving as fast as possible grabbed a hold of both Lucy and Gray before taking off in a dead sprint with Happy and the very frightened Lyra following.

Nicky chuckled as his Ki blast flew from his hands impacting the barrier the Fairy Tail wizards were occupying just a moment before.

"They're escaping!" Lyon yelled.

He turned towards to his group and at last gave the orders they were waiting for.

"Yuka! Toby! Sherry! Head to the village, find them and eliminate them at once!" He ordered.

The trio wasted no time taking off into the jungle. As the trio disappeared from view, Garlic Jr. was right at Lyon's side.

"I do hope your people are up to the task Mr. Vastia, it would be a shame if they were to fail in their mission." He commented.

"It doesn't matter."

Lyon turned around and walked off with Zalty following closely.

"Success or failure, they only need to buy enough for Deliora's release and resurrection."

Lyon smirked a mad smirk, as he envisioned his victory.

"And then I will have finally surpassed Ur at long last." He finished.

Garlic Jr. held in a vicious laugh that would have given away his true intentions. Little did Lyon know, his dream was about to be turned into a nightmare.

* * *

 **Galuna Island Jungle**

This mission was going off the rails.

Natsu was heading back to the village at a dead sprint with Gray, Happy, Lyra and an out of shape Lucy following as best they could.

"What are we going to do you guys?" Lucy shouted out.

"I don't know but we should have stepped in and beat Lyon when we had the chance!" Gray replied hotly.

"Stow it stripper! With those new guys backing him we'd get our butts kicked in minutes, hell even seconds!"

Lucy, Gray and Happy all stopped, shocked at what Natsu just said. Natsu stopped too, not even bothering to turn around. Lyra was worried and frightened, taking her place by Lucy.

"W…what?" Lucy stuttered out wide eyed.

"Hang on… you're not actually saying that you…?" Gray trailed off in disbelief.

Happy then landed on his feet before walking over to Natsu, quickly getting over his shock and becoming worried at the anxious expression on his best friend's face. Natsu just turned his head away so Happy didn't have to see him like this.

"Those guys are stronger than us."

Gray's jaw dropped while Lucy just held a hand up to try and hide the gasp that escaped her lips.

"We could take on your old buddy and his team, that's a fight I know we can win." He said in a low tone.

They could take comfort in that fact. This mission was rather easy if they could beat Lyon and his cronies with few to no setbacks. But now that Garlic Jr. was here…

"But if we fight those new guys I doubt we can beat them. My gut is telling me those guys are bad news and if I can I don't wanna fight em." He growled in frustration.

Gray had enough and turned Natsu around rather harshly, the fire wizard still not willing to look anyone in the eye.

"What the hell is that about pyro?! What are you a coward?!" Gray spat.

That statement made Natsu snap. He grabbed Gray by his shirt and got in his face.

"Those guys use magic and the same type of power Bardock uses! My dragon instincts are telling me not to fight them! How long you think you can last against them huh?! Tell me!" He retorted.

Lucy had enough and got between the two of them and kept Natsu back who was still steaming mad.

"Stop it you two! We don't have time for this!"

Gray just spat in the dirt and shoved his hands in his pockets while Natsu just stood up straighter with his fists by his sides. Lucy kept a hand on Natsu's chest as she glanced back and forth, trying to keep the mission from spiraling further out of control.

"Listen you guys, those villagers need our help and I'm betting my rent money those guys are going to attack the village soon. We can bicker later after we figure out how to protect the villagers. So no more arguing or I'm telling Erza when we get back." She threatened.

Both paled at that before realizing something else. This thought was something they forgot when they proceeded to do the mission.

( _"We're already going to be punished when we get back!"_ ) they thought in comical fear.

"Now come on, we have to hurry!" Lucy exclaimed with determination.

"Right!" the boys said in unision.

"Aye sir!"

Lucy quickly dismissed Lyra after giving the Celestial spirit a quick hug and goodbye. Natsu started up a sprint to the village again but manage to slow down enough for his teammates to keep pace. Lucy, Gray and Happy decided to shove the fact their new opponents had the same power as one of their guild mates away for now. They would collectively deal with one issue at a time. As it stood, they knew Lyon might be desperate enough to destroy all who stood in his way, including innocent civilians. If they were going to put a stop to the madness the first step would be protecting the very people that hired them.

The race to the village was on.

* * *

 **A/N: That's all folks!**

 **Garlic Jr is making moves and Lyon is in on his evil schemes (Not entirely though).**

 **So how was the banter between Natsu and Lucy for you guys? Yay or nay? To be honest I like experimenting with their relationship when writing up my stories. Given how their relationship in this one is of the slow burn variety, do expect more fluff and flirty moments.**

 **Gray divulged his past a bit earlier than before and given the circumstances it made Natsu think twice about melting the ice. Plus Natsu, Lucy and Happy gained insight into Gray's past and as a result formed their own opinions.**

 **So a crazy thought popped into my head that is sort of related to this story (not really but hey). Which character or characters could do the most damage if they were sent to the world of Bleach? I know characters from Dragon Ball Z/GT/Super are insanely OP but I forget to factor in the unique abilities of everyone's Zanpakuto so I'm honestly curious who wins major fights within the series itself and can mess up a timeline or two. To be honest although I don't think most Bleach characters can give Dragon Ball Z/GT/Super characters much trouble, I would still be interested in seeing how certain fights go.**

 **So here's the scenario I need you guys to think about…**

 **Take a fighter (Any saga) or a group of fighters (from different sagas; limited up to 5 fighters) and you put them in Hueco Mundo around the time Ichigo, Chad and Uryu meet up with Rukia and Renji. So basically take a person or group and place them in the Winter War arc just before Ichigo storms Los/Las Noches.**

 **Question: Who can run the gauntlet against all of the Espada (plus the extra Arrancar here and there) and the two former Soul Reaper Captains before fighting Aizen?**

 **Note: Gods, Angels and other divine beings are not allowed to be a part of the selection pool. Also if you select any variant of Goku for a team, you cannot pick Vegeta and vice versa.**

 **Please include your answers with your comments or remarks on the chapter.**

 **All that said, you'll likely get a shorter chapter next time which means this arc will be roughly four chapters long (including the chapter you just read). The action will pick up the next two chapters I promise. I would have made this one longer but I felt as though I did enough to setup the rest of the arc just fine.**

 **As always comments, compliments and/or criticisms are welcome in the review section.**

 **Thanks goes out to each and every one of you who have taken interest in the story, read it or even view it out of curiosity. You guys are awesome!**

 **See ya later!**


	15. Village Defense

**A/N: Hey everyone. (Spidey impression from Civil War)**

 **So I'm back and I got to say thank you all for being supportive of the story!**

 **Anyways…**

 **A reviewer asked what Bardock's power level was and to be honest I try not to get caught up in the power level debate. Yes this is a DBZ story and a crossover at that so it should be somewhat reasonable to include power levels right?**

 **Sadly though I can't properly answer that. Bardock's been in Fairy Tail for a few weeks now so it's roughly Late July as far as timeline is concerned. His near death experience with Dodoria and Frieza, plus his training since arriving to Earth Land has increased his power big time.**

 **But I won't disclose by how much though. I'll let you guys speculate based on the story so far (Because where is the fun in that?). Bardock's been training and experimenting with all his abilities in his down time and hasn't gone all out just yet.**

 **Next thing I want to discuss… I already told you guys NaLu is here to stay in this story. Keep in mind if you want to read about Natsu netting a harem (or possibly seeing another girl), see my other story. Lol (And possibly future stories because I'm open to adding one or two women for the heck of it)**

 **As a writer pairing Natsu and Lucy just make sense to me. Mira and Erza are the very scary big sisters he often looks up to. That said I do enjoy Natsu being paired up with someone else or with multiple women (when the mood strikes me). My favorites are obviously evidence of that.**

 **As for the canon pairings on the DBZ side, that is not changing. Well I have plans for future chapters, the spin-offs and essentially the sequel but that's a secret.**

 **Also an announcement… another project is in the works (it's up to like 20 or 30 right now). We don't have enough Marvel and Young Justice crossover stories on the site so I'm hoping to remedy that. As soon as I can come to the point where I can manage both of my current stories with the time I have, I will publish the first chapter.**

 **Lastly… RIP to Marvel on Netflix. It was a good run while it lasted. Luke Cage, Daredevil, Jessica Jones and The Punisher were all great shows. Honestly I was a bit disappointed with Iron Fist's portrayal in terms of the character but I still found the first season OK. (Keep in mind this was written a while ago so bear with me.)**

 **And lastly again, RIP to Supernatural and Arrow. (Also Gotham too.) I have complaints about everything Arrow after Season 3 so I won't miss it too much. Supernatural was good for such a consistent amount of time but I gave up on the show after Season 9. I still think it's good I just didn't feel the need to watch it anymore. Gotham is ok but… meh. Lol I was done after a season and a half. (This was also written a while back. Honestly I'm terrible at updates. Lol)**

 **One more thing… this story will never die as long as I am around. But there will be a time where my absence will be noticeable. I will let you know when. For a better explanation, check my other story. Just know I will continue this story because I have enjoyed doing it for you guys.**

 **Oh, one more thing… spoilers on the recent chapter of 100 Year Quest. Apparently Mashima wanted a bigger dragon and gave us one. How will Fairy Tail's strongest team handle this dragon? They've already met two so far and quite honestly this story is getting interesting. Plus… wonder what was up with Juvia? Last time I checked, things weren't going so well back in Magnolia.**

 **Let's get right into it my friends!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Galuna Island, Village**

 **Night/Early Morning**

Making haste to the village, the Fairy Tail mages had managed to reach their destination and it wasn't a second too soon. Of course though, the gods on high decided to throw them another curve ball.

Lucy took charge and made sure to explain the situation to the villagers. The reactions of confusion and fear made sense. What didn't make sense was the village chief's attitude and response. Upon him trying to get up close and personal with blonde, venting his frustrations and anger, Natsu stepped in. After putting the fear of the dragon in the village chief and only after doing that, was the chief taken away sputtering hysterics in a frightened state. Lucy of course reprimanded Natsu on the spot but silently thanked him for coming to her rescue.

The village, unlike their chief, recovered from the news quickly and decided to formulate a plan with the Fairy Tail mages. Lucy, being the strategist on the team came up with an idea to place traps at the village's entrance and subsequent exits. After calling upon Virgo and getting some needed help in terms of muscle from her teammates and the villagers, Lucy's traps were now in place.

Now it was time to play the waiting game.

And they played that game for a few hours as they waited for the opponents.

But they never came.

The Fairy Tail mages were hiding in nearby bushes just outside the main gate. The villagers had manned themselves with makeshift spears and whatever weapons they could muster. Chief Moka was held back of course 1) not to get pummeled and burned by Natsu and 2) not to get in the way of the possible fight ahead.

"I don't get it. Just what is taking them so long?" Lucy thought aloud.

She was getting frustrated. In all honesty who could blame the blonde for her well thought out plan not being… well effective.

"I told you it was a bad plan Lushy." Happy commented smugly.

The mascot of the Strongest team was happily munching on a fish while between his two favorite humans (but don't tell Lucy that just yet).

"Thanks for the vote of confidence cat…" Lucy retorted with a twitch.

The boys were bored. Gray had since calmed down from his outburst earlier and with his teammates help, got a good hold of the situation they were in. With new unknowns in place, Lyon had the advantage and a direct assault on him and Garlic Jr's crew would be absolutely disastrous. So Gray did what he usually did… he vented.

"Hey, it's better than whatever the Flaming Retard could come up with." Gray commented.

"What you say?! Ice Bastard I'll kill you!"

Gray just looked at him calmly before waving him off in nonchalance. Natsu grew a tick mark and smoke trickled out his mouth.

"No you won't. After all, Lucy has you on a tight leash. And she wouldn't want her pet dragon to go on a rampage, burn a village and beat down a teammate." He listed out smugly.

Both Natsu and Lucy had light blushes as they were both embarrassed and mad at that statement. They took offense to what Gray was implying and Lucy was more than happy to play along based on the evil grin she grew.

"Uh-oh…" Happy said with a sly grin.

Gray looked over at Happy confused before looking over to Lucy whispering in Natsu's ear. Both had an evil look on their face as they slowly turned their heads over to Gray. That was when Gray realized… he fucked up.

"Oh shit…" Gray muttered with a nervous smile.

* * *

 **A quick beating later**

Gray was squatting next to the snickering forms of his teammates after receiving an impromptu beatdown from Natsu who was aided by Lucy. Who knew whips were that useful? That woman was an absolute demon when she wanted to be. It reminded the ice user of Erza. A shudder made a way down his spine as he tried to hold a stoic expression despite the lump on his head.

"Serves you right snow princess." Natsu sniggered.

"Laugh it up… I'll get you both back for this." Gray retorted.

"You'll try Gray and fail." Lucy countered with a smirk.

This earned her a high five from Natsu and a snicker from Happy. Those three really were quite the team.

Several more moments passed until they emerged from the bushes, stumped as to why their opponents hadn't shown up yet.

"I just don't get it. We got here before they did yet they got a head start. It doesn't make sense for them to not be here." Gray stated with frustration.

Lucy looked over to Natsu who was thinking the same thing.

"Any luck with your Dragon senses Natsu? Can you at least smell them coming?" She queried.

"No I can't. If they did, you guys would definitely know." He replied.

"Maybe your nose decided to stop working…" Gray jested.

Natsu bit back a retort because he could tell Lucy was about to give one for him.

"Knock it off Gray. We all have reasons to be stressed out, but that doesn't mean you can be a jerk because we're trying to stay alive and complete an invalid mission."

Gray recoiled a bit before 'tch'ing and turning away. Lucy just shook her head before she felt the sensation of a swift breeze. Last she checked, there was not supposed to be much of a breeze in the first place.

"Up there!"

"Is that a rat and…"

"A giant… bucket?"

The Fairy Tail mages looked up to see their opponents riding the rat from earlier. As they recalled that pink haired girl called it Angelica and if the name was any indication the rat was a she. But one thing about the situation seemed to pain Lucy greatly…

( _"My trap was totally useless~!"_ ) She whined internally.

Natsu on the other hand wasn't really paying attention to his partner's plight. Right now his anger was building at the callousness of the enemy mages who were riding the giant rat. Their comments about the state of the villagers and their disregard for the villagers' wellbeing irked him. Suddenly, he perked up when he heard about the contents of the bucket.

Natsu's fists clenched, knuckles turning white. Gray noticing how alert his teammate now was shifted his feet, anticipating battle. However, a single drop of whatever was in the bucket fell through the air…

"Is that jelly?" Lucy wondered aloud.

Natsu didn't waste any time in tackling Lucy out of the way. Good thing he did too, otherwise the consequences would have been dire.

"No way!" both mages heard Happy shout.

The salmon haired teen and his blonde partner looked at the spot where the blonde was just at. Their eyes were wide in realization at what Lyon's lackeys had in mind for the villagers and them as well.

( _"Corrosive acid!"_ ) they realized in unison.

Natsu helped Lucy to her feet and they looked up in growing anger at the fact the opposing mages were going to go the distance just to bring back a demon for their boss to fight. Natsu knew what was coming next so he turned to Lucy

"Lucy, gather the villagers in the center! I got a plan!"

Lucy looked at him in surprise before her expression changed. She looked more determined and composed, leaning on the resolve that seemed to be flowing out of Natsu. Though she was still feeling a bit apprehensive and scared, she gritted her teeth and nodded before barking out orders. Natsu then turned his attention to Gray.

"I need you to make the strongest barrier possible. And make sure it covers enough of the area to keep the villagers safe."

"No need to order me around Pyro. I know what to do." Gray shot back as he got into position.

Natsu just shook his head before finding Happy on his shoulder.

"Alright pal, get ready to go on my mark."

"Aye sir!"

Natsu looked up, catching more disgusting remarks from the enemy. Oh they were so begging for a beat down now. But he would leave the girl to Lucy… after dealing with the rat again.

As that last thought came, he saw they were about to strike.

"Go!"

Happy shot up with Natsu in tow. The salmon haired teen's fist lit aflame just as the contents of the bucket were released.

"It's now or never Natsu!" Lucy shouted.

( _"With these powerful flames in my left…"_ )

Natsu narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists tighter.

( _"And the mix of even more powerful flames in my right…"_ )

"Do it pyro." Gray urged under his breath.

" **Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!** "

Pouring in more magic power than needed, Natsu's magic triggered a powerful explosion that dispersed the contents of the bucket as well as deal some backlash to Angelica and the mages. Unfortunately, parts of the village were still hit and several buildings were damaged. Luckily, the villagers were safe and the damage was not as catastrophic as it could have been had Natsu and company not acted so quickly.

Another big plus was that Bobo's grave was untouched… which was good because Chief Moka was holding it for all his worth. Natsu and Happy came down to collect him and before they knew it, their teammates rejoined them as the enemy landed several meters away.

Not even bothering to turn around, Natsu used one arm and tossed Chief Moka back into the village without a second thought. Gray and Lucy didn't even bother to point out the fact their Dragon Slayer teammate did something so reckless. Instead, they just glared at the enemy mages.

"Looks like our plan failed." Yuka spoke calmly.

Toby would have spoken but something caught his eye. He and Yuka looked to where Sherry was with Angelica… only to find the rat and pink haired girl gone.

"Um…Sherry?"

The Fairy Tail side was snickering at the opposition's misfortune. Natsu offered Lucy a high five which she gladly complied to.

"Looks like your trapped worked to perfection Luce." Natsu complimented with a sly girn.

"Hopefully she isn't hurt too bad. I gotta fight too ya know?" Lucy stated with a sheepish smile.

"Ah, so true."

Sherry slowly climbed out the hole while her **Rock Dolls** carried a whimpering Angelica. Turns out, one of the pungi sticks had impaled itself onto Angelica's rear left foot. After dismissing her **Rock Dolls** , Sherry comforted a now wounded Angelica who would have no purpose in the fighting ahead.

Natsu slammed fist into palm, lighting both hands on fire. Gray felt no need to lose his shirt just yet and just got into his maker stance. As for Lucy, she drew her one of her keys with one hand while in her other hand was her whip.

While Yuka would try and rally the troops, Natsu was already thinking ahead (for once, hell maybe twice in his life).

"Alright here's the plan you guys!"

Lucy glared at Sherry, said pink haired girl still tending to the giant rat.

"Lucy, weird girl is all yours! Watch yourself though."

"Got it Natsu!"

Gray gave Toby a cool stare while the dog man himself was scratching his face nervously.

"Frosty, dog boy is your opponent! Kick his ass and don't embarrass yourself!"

"Shut up Pyro. I got this."

Natsu then gave a fanged smirk as he eyed Yuka who lost all semblance of composure moments ago.

"And bushy eyebrows is all mine! I'm all fired up now!"

Lyon's group regrouped and got into fighting stances of their own. See in another timeline, Yuka would have made some speech about how little time it would take to beat two wizards from Fairy Tail. In another timeline, Yuka would do the same if he and his compatriots were facing three. But given it's neither of those timelines, Yuka opted to just sigh and give a short pep talk.

"The Celestial mage won't know what hit her Sherry. Take her down quickly."

Sherry just smirked smugly, almost getting a reaction out of Lucy… almost.

"Toby and I will deal with Lyon's lesser and the Dragon Slayer."

"Oi! He ain't better than me!"

Natsu held in a laugh. This little moment between the groups was starting to break the tension that was in the air. The Dragon Slayer would have almost forgotten about the fact they were here to kill the villagers… almost.

Everyone took fighting stances before the clash started… little did they know, the real fight wouldn't take place at that time.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

 **Off of Fiore's Southeastern Coast**

Bardock was resting in a hammock that had been made in the captain's quarters/cabin. The curtains were drawn and the only light being provided came from the wax candles located on the desk and mounted on the walls.

The Saiyan had placed his shades on a nearby table so he wouldn't forget them. Otherwise, he would have to keep his eyes closed until the moon went down, which would suck. Other than that, traveling hadn't been much of an issue. Erza was barking out orders to her new Pirate crew and the actual captain of the ship couldn't really do much. Even the ships traveling with them were intimidated by the legendary Titania.

( _"Can't blame 'em though. Not many people in the world could say they looked her in the eye and didn't feel at least a bit intimidated. Lucky for me I'm not one of 'em. She doesn't scare me at all."_ ) He thought.

Person in his thoughts walked into the office. She sat at the desk, taking a moment to enjoy the silence. But Bardock knew from the moment she entered that the girl was there to talk to him.

"Need something?" he asked gruffly.

Erza leaned back in the chair, settling her hands in her lap.

"Do you have a moment to talk?"

Bardock senses extended past the convoy of pirate ships. The island was coming closer and closer by the minute. From his estimates, they would land within an hour two. Plus there was the option he could fly him and Erza there in under a minute or two. And after doing a quick pros versus cons in his head of what he was willing to talk about, Bardock said fuck it and decided to humor the knight.

"We got time to kill so why not. Ask your questions and be mindful I can still keep some things to myself."

Erza nodded in agreement. This was a good start.

"Fair enough."

She leaned forward on the desk, looking at the doors intently.

"You said you come from a different world, not just a different universe. What is the name of your world?"

Bardock opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He took a deep breath before releasing it.

"My people were originally from the Planet Sadala. It wasn't the most hospitable of places but it was home for a while. After a cataclysm and infighting claimed that world, we had long since moved to Planet Plant which would one day be renamed Planet Vegeta."

Erza nodded, taking the information in stride. It was still so bizarre to hear about other worlds in casual conversation like this. But then again, the man she was dealing with was of a bizarre nature. She had to tread carefully in her questioning. Chances were, the wrong question can open up a can of worms and they would both be starting from scratch in their bond.

"Your people… they all look like you?"

"More or less, yes they do. All of us have tails but our hair differs, best way to tell us apart from the other."

Silence claimed the room for a moment. The gentleness of the waves moved the ship to and fro in a slow manner.

"What exactly are your people called Bardock?"

Bardock laid there in silence for several moments. He then hopped out of his hammock and popped his neck.

"We're known as Saiyans. Saiyans in short are a violent, powerful race of warriors. Or at least were…"

"Were?" Erza asked softly.

Bardock sighed before taking his place by the door. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

"One person was responsible for the near genocide of my people and the destruction of Planet Vegeta. I faced him and lost." He explained.

( _"And it would have been the last thing I ended up doing if not for that mystery Saiyan."_ ) He added mentally.

"You said this man just about wiped out your people… I take it he had quite the army to do so if your people were as formidable as yourself."

Bardock let out a hollow chuckle, catching the redhead off guard.

"He didn't need it. He had those bastards standby and watch the fireworks." He stated ominously.

He would have explained more but he felt that particular part of his story would be better for another time. In addition to that, a flaring of Ki made him perk up. Erza was about to speak but he held a hand up.

While both had been just relaxing in the captain's cabin, Bardock had picked up the clashing energies that he surmised to be magic. It wasn't just anyone's magic though. After settling in for some time now, he could now tell the magic energies of Natsu's little crew of magic misfits. And after identifying the signatures of his fellow guild mates, he felt like he didn't need to worry about who they were facing.

Then he felt two new signatures pop up.

Looks like he might finally get a challenge.

* * *

 **Galuna Island**

The fight lasted a few minutes at best.

For the first fight…

Yuka was a **Wave Magic** user. His magic's greatest strength was cancelling out other magics, which put Natsu at an immediate disadvantage early on. But that edge Yuka had quickly disappeared when he ran into Natsu's unpredictability and battle instincts. That or maybe the salmon haired teen was just crazy.

See the weakness to Yuka's magic was that it couldn't keep out physical attacks. That said the weakness was also a boon because pure physical attacks that got through caused physical pain to the attacker. But Natsu ignored all that completely and created a new move in the process. With one powerful hit from Natsu's **Flaming Elbow** attack, Yuka was out like a light.

Then came the second fight…

Toby outright embarrassed himself against Gray. Turns out the dog enthusiast and cosplayer had extending nails that could paralyze someone with a single scratch. Gray used a simple misdirection to make Toby scratch himself, scoring another knockout for the Fairy Tail crew.

This last fight left little Sherry at the mercy of three Fairy Tail wizards and the Fairy Tail mascot.

Sherry used Taurus against Lucy using her **Doll Magic**. Lucy' saving grace was being able to close Taurus' gate in time before any serious damage was done. The blonde girl had a plan to bring out her trump card early. So Lucy, being one of the more brainy members of the team, decided to lure Sherry towards the beach she and her teammates washed up on the night before. Natsu, Gray and Happy followed, standing by to provide aid if their teammate needed it. Turns out they didn't have to. The trio arrived to find Lucy giving Sherry one of her patented Lucy Kicks, scoring one more knockout for the Fairy Tail crew.

"Lucy!"

Said Celestial wizard fell onto her bum, soft sand cushioning her underneath. Her salmon haired partner skidded to her side, grasping her by her shoulders.

"You okay?"

She assured the young man with a vehement nod and a bright smile. He gave a fanged grin and proceeded to sit across from her, crisscrossing his legs.

"Nice work out there. And that Lucy kick was a thing of beauty too." He complimented ruffling her hair.

Lucy blushed under the praise and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She would have reprimanded Natsu for once again messing up her hair but this was one of the few times she didn't mind. Besides, in the short time they had been working together she had done the same.

Gray and Happy approached the pair with smiles, knowing the team had gotten the job done. But alas the victory was to be short lived.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?"

Natsu's eyes widened considerably before the Dragon Slayer shot to his feet. He was baring his sharp teeth and growling towards the opposite end of the beach. Lucy was pale as a sheet behind him as her gaze landed on two figures she was praying she didn't see tonight. Happy was hiding behind the Celestial mage shivering in fright and damn near in tears. Lastly, Gray was right next to Natsu, desperately trying to hide his fear by putting on a brave face.

Standing several meters away in their fearsome glory were Nicky and Sansho, two of Garlic Jr's men.

"Look at that Sansho, we caught ourselves some fairies." Nicky commented.

The Makyan, then proceeded to pick up a fruit from the ground and brushed the sand off against his shirt. Natsu and Gray tensed, ready to fight against opponents who were clearly too strong for them. Nicky then proceeded to take a bite out of the fruit while Sansho stood at his side, awaiting further instruction with an eager grin.

"Although it looks like we won't be able to have fun with them. We're about to have company."

That last statement confused the Fairy Tail group a moment. The pair of Makyan's then turned their gaze to the sea, extending their senses out to where they expected their new adversary to be. With Natsu's team not being Ki users, they simply looked in the same direction as the Makyan pair.

As the sun was rising, in the distance was a white flash moving towards the beach at breakneck speed. The object became clearer and clearer until it was clearly identified as a person flying towards the occupants of the beach. Hope swelled in the Fairy Tail group as they were praying to any deity available that it was who they thought it was.

And their prayers were answered when he came.

The being within the flash of white, dispelled the barrier of power before descending onto the sand with audible taps of his boots. All four Fairy Tail members were looking relieved and happily at the back of their newest and quite possibly, strongest member.

"It's Bardock! Oh thank goodness!" Lucy exclaimed joyfully.

"We're gonna be okay!" Happy cheered.

Lucy picked up the little fur ball before hugging him happily to her person. Natsu and Gray relaxed a bit and were shooting grateful smiles towards their savior.

"Status report. Now." Bardock grunted out.

Natsu and Gray adopted looks of slight confusion. They looked to each other and shrugged before Gray filled the Saiyan in.

"An old friend of mine wants to bring back a demon from my past. We think its connected to what's affecting the people on the island. At one point these guys showed up…" the ice mage trailed off.

Bardock nodded before taking a few steps forward.

"Got it. These Makyan bastards are mine." He growled out.

( _"Makyan?"_ ) The Fairy Tail group thought.

"So you know about us don't you Saiyan?" Nicky queried as he was eating his fruit.

Bardock snorted before flexing his arms a bit and doing an experimental roll of his shoulders.

"Yeah I do. You don't live your life having seen all kinds of shit and not know about certain things. Speaking of which, how the hell did you and your kind end up all the way out here?"

Nicky let out a chuckle before tossing what was left of his fruit behind him. He took a few steps forward before crossing his arms.

"Let's just say our boss got a very powerful employer that's interested in you." He stated.

"Oh?"

Nicky chuckled again before shifting into a fighting stance. Sansho, who was still grinning like a maniac, took up a fighting stance right next to his partner.

"Given what happened with Ginger, I believe we need to test your skills ourselves. We don't exactly like associating ourselves with weaklings."

Bardock narrowed his eyes before slipping into his fighting stance. He got a good gauge on the combined power of the two Makyans before him. He could take them on easily but he needed to keep track on both opponents at all times. If either of them slipped past him, his comrades would be in danger. Plus, he had lured them both into a false sense of security by hiding his power level. He needed to be quick about this fight because he had the sinking feeling that their comrades weren't as weak and had an even bigger numbers advantage.

The only sound anyone heard were the crashing of waves on the sandy shores and sound of gulls nearby. For a moment, no one said a word or made even a sound. Tension in the air had rose back to its previous levels even after the Saiyan Rebel's appearance dispelled it slightly.

Taken an unspoken cue, the pair of Makyans dashed forward, letting out sinister war cries. Not hesitating, Bardock dashed forward with a grunt and met the pair head on. What ensued was an entanglement of limbs that soon left the ground. The three combatants were now in an intense bout of combat. Bardock was either dodging or blocking each of the blows thrown at him. He was starting to get a quick read on his opponents general fighting styles. 'Crazy hair' (Nicky) was the more cerebral of the pair while 'Dickhead' (Sansho) used brute force due to his frame.

Down on the ground, the Fairy Tail group was in awe. Natsu, Gray and Happy had seen their fair share of fights before but to see something of this magnitude was pretty amazing. It was also unique in a sense to see guys who could actually keep up with their newest member who also was likely their strongest since he took down Laxus not that long ago.

Lucy had not been a witness to many fights in her life so this was a mind blowing experience for her. It was also a teaching point for her since joining Fairy Tail. She wasn't as strong or fast as her senior members and she had the nagging feeling of wanting to pull her weight around. She couldn't depend on her spirits all the time.

Up in the air, Bardock sailed back leaving his opponents an opening.

Nicky was the first to take the bait, homing in with his hand shaping like a coiled serpent. Anticipating the move, Bardock waited until Nicky's hand came forward before the Saiyan dodged right. While dodging, Bardock grabbed the Makyan's wrist before tugging the alien/demon forward and punching him in the gut with his free hand. While this was going, Sansho charged forward ready to pounce on what would be an unsuspecting opponent.

Bardock quickly kicked Nicky in the face, sending him in the direction of the ocean. The Saiyan then rushed towards Sansho and the Makyan delivered an overhead strike which Bardock blocked easily using both hands. Bardock then swung his legs through, using both feet to perform a soaring dropkick. Stunned by the move, Sansho staggered back in the air while Bardock rammed into his midsection with his left elbow. After that move, the Saiyan Rebel kicked Sansho in the same direction as his partner.

The Fairy Tail group down below watched as Bardock just hovered in the air after sending his enemies packing. Then they saw his aura burst before he shot away after both of his enemies. While flying away from the island, Bardock's burst of speed sent waves towards the convoy of pirate ships that had anchored several miles away from the island. Not only that, a row boat that Erza was using was caught up in the sudden tidal waves. Luckily for Erza, her boat didn't tip over but she was now wet and uncomfortable (don't forget irritable). She couldn't pay Bardock any mind as she figured he was likely fighting someone. Although tunnel vision made her focus narrow on apprehending her guild mates, she couldn't help but think about whom exactly the Saiyan was fighting.

Meanwhile, Bardock had come to a stop high above the ocean blue. His opponents were obviously a bit shaken by the show of power and speed if their grimaces were anything to go by. After giving them a moment to shake off any lingering traces of pain, the Saiyan raced towards both of them ready to re-engage.

Nicky and Sansho met the Saiyan head on in a flurry of punches and kicks. Instead of trying to come at Bardock from his front, they opted for a better approach by attacking his flanks. This only made Bardock's job a little more difficult but doable.

The trio raced and battled across the airspace, adrenaline ramping up with intensity. But as the fight wore on, the Makyans grew frustrated. And once the Makyans got frustrated, Bardock was quick to take advantage. The minute their attacks slowed, Bardock blocked them with his forearms.

In a rapid sequence, Bardock swung their fists off his forearms before grabbing them both by the collar. He swung them together, making them head-butt each other, stunning them in the process. He threw Sansho off to the side before pouring his focus onto Nicky. Now was the perfect time to end this fight. He was done messing around.

Bardock reared his fist back before violently bringing it forward, burying the fist deep in Nicky's intestines.

So shocked and pained by the move, Nicky let out a choked gasp. His right hand grasped Bardock's shoulder while his left grasped the offending appendage which had found its way inside of his body. The crazy haired Makyan looked the Saiyan Rebel in the eye, silently pleading for a little mercy.

"Weaklings huh?" Bardock joked darkly.

Bardock's fist then opened up before a Ki blast erupted, exiting out of Nicky's back and vaporizing a majority of the miserable Makyan's organs. The Saiyan Rebel watched as his opponent went limp, signaling that he was indeed deceased. Bardock tossed the corpse off his arm before turning around and seeing Sansho's trembling form, hovering over the water.

Sansho darted his head back and forth, trying to evaluate his options. He had three available to him as Bardock stared at him with a coldness only matched by the frozen hearts of Frost Giants from Jotunheim.

The first option was to simply outrun Bardock and report to Garlic Jr. That option had enough unknowns to make Sansho sweat with dread.

The second option wasn't any better. This option had Sansho kidnapping the blonde fairy and taking her back to Spice so she could be enslaved. But Bardock would be too fast for him and overpower him before he got a chance to do anything.

And the last option was likely the worst of all. If Sansho could race back to the beach and kill the fairies, he could make Garlic Jr's life much easier. But the downside would be a furious Saiyan. And the fury of a Saiyan would be downright comparable to the fiery depths of seven stars and the flames of hell combined.

So Sansho took the best aspects of all three options and put together an ad-hoc plan that he was hoping would work.

He stared up at the Saiyan defiantly, maniacal grin finding a way back to his ugly visage.

"You may have beaten Nicky Saiyan, but don't expect me to be so easy." He told him.

Then Sansho started to roar as his body went through a transformation of sorts. His blueish skin was starting to pale and turn grey. Meanwhile, his armor as well as his body started to expand out.

Bardock quirked a brow in curiosity at the spectacle. He could feel the Makyan's power rising but it wasn't anything special. Sure strength and power increased but speed would be sacrificed. Just look at Borgos and Shugesh! Those larger than life bastards had trouble keeping up with him, Tora and Fasha in spars. And don't even get Bardock started when Gine fought either one of them. Now that was funny!

Back to now…

Bardock watched as the ocean rippled beneath Sansho's growing form. A pink-reddish aura burst around the Makyan as Sansho had now reached full power… which was very underwhelming to Bardock.

Sansho then started to snicker before jetting away back towards Galuna Island. Bardock sighed, knowing full well what Sansho's intentions were. Killing, kidnapping and escaping, possibly done out of order. So, the Saiyan raced ahead and got high enough for a perfect ambush point once Sansho reached a certain point. One thought came to mind as he was speeding towards Galuna…

( _"Did Erza make it to the island yet?"_ )

* * *

 **A tad Earlier**

"I do hope you're ready to face punishment."

Natsu, Lucy, Gray and Happy had gathered the trio of Sherry, Yuka and Toby on the beach before tying them up. They had a few minutes to spare while Bardock dealt with Garlic Jr's goons.

But as they were wrapping up the enemy mages in ropes, Erza had come… and man was she pissed.

The Gray, Lucy and Happy had taken refuge behind a nervous Natsu who was trying to sweet talk his way out whatever nightmare was about to be inflicted. In another universe or two, Natsu Dragneel wouldn't be such a scaredy cat when it comes to big sister Erza. But this was not one of those Natsu Dragneels.

"Hehe… H-Hi Erza…" He greeted with a broken smile.

The redhead knight gave them a stern glare, chain mail covered fists on her hips. She was definitely not in the mood.

"You will be leaving with me immediately as soon as Bardock returns." She informed them.

The others looked shocked for a moment before hasty explanations broke out.

"Natsu bribed me with fish! You know it's my weakness Erza!"

"I just wanted the key…"

"Hey! That jerk knocked me out and forced me along!"

Natsu looked back at his teammates with a look of betrayal. Erza just shook her head at their antics.

"Regardless of your reasons, you've all broken guild rules. For that you must be punished."

The knight was on them immediately, sword whipped out. However, her primary target of her disappointment and growing ire was Natsu. The salmon haired teen held up his hands in surrender, sweating furiously from the malicious intent he was getting from his big sis.

"Um… mercy?" Natsu weakly pleaded with a smile.

Erza was about to deliver a retort until she heard something. She turned her head towards the sea. The others did so as well, wondering just what in the world had Erza distracted. The other four's looks of curiosity turned into shock and slight horror as they saw a different looking Sansho heading towards them at breakneck speed. And the Makyan was cackling in delight at the sight of what he assumed to be easy prey.

Natsu immediately shoved away Erza's sword before getting into a fighting stance. Lucy and Gray were immediately by his side, the former fumbling with her keys while the latter was still shaking like a leaf. Erza eyed this new foe and narrowed her eyes, wondering just what had her fellow guild members stumbled into.

As soon as the hulking form of Sansho got close though, the Makyan felt a hard kick to his face, several teeth coming out as he flew towards the opposite end of the beach where he and Nicky were earlier.

The Fairy Tail mages were once again stupefied to see Bardock make another grand entrance. The Saiyan Rebel simply ignored the looks he was getting before making his way to retrieve the members of Lyon's group.

"Uhhhh… wha… what hit me?" Yuka slurred.

His only response were the groans and sounds of protest from his two teammates. The bushy eyebrows mage simply glanced to his sides before looking up. His eyes grew wide as he saw an intimidating man in unique armor walking towards him. And standing several meters behind the man were the mages of Fairy Tail. Odd thing though, he felt they had more members than before.

( _"I've never seen or heard of a man with his description before. But I swear, I feel like I've seen that shade of scarlet somewhere…"_ ) Yuka analyzed.

The Saiyan Rebel hoisted the trio by the rope they were tied up with… using one hand.

"H-Hey! Hey! Put us down this instant!" Yuka protested.

"If you don't unhand us this instant, Lord Reitei will make you regret this dearly! Out of justice… and love!" Sherry exclaimed dramatically (more like overdramatic).

"If only I could use my stingers on this guy!" Toby stated.

Bardock sighed as he tossed the trio in front of the Fairy Tail group. He pointed a finger at his fellow guild members.

"Keep an eye on them. I need answers." He ordered.

Erza would have protested but the affirmations Bardock received from the others silenced her. She simply growled and lowered her sword.

The Saiyan Rebel turned heel before walking a few more feet and stopping. He crossed his arms and looked out calmly towards the other end of the beach.

Sansho was angry and afraid, which for a fighter, was never a healthy combination. He stood up slowly, hulking form hunched over slightly.

"Did you honestly think I would let you lay even a finger on them? Your partner really must've been the brains. Honestly, you're weak and a complete dumbass." Bardock insulted.

Sansho growled in response. He had literally been several meters away from at least taking out the Dragon Slayer. So focused he had been on his prey, he didn't notice Bardock had essentially baited him in a way. He was making rookie mistakes that only Ginger could really do. And now it looks like he was joining both Ginger and Nicky in the afterlife.

"But… the way I see it, it's pointless in the end. You'll be joining your buddies in hell soon enough."

Bardock then uncrossed his arms and cracked his neck. He then adjusted his right arm sleeve, staring Sansho down as if daring the Makyan to make the first move. He was not disappointed with what he received.

Sansho roared angrily as he flew towards Bardock. Without warning though, poor Sansho felt immense pain in several locations. Bardock started with a punch to the Makyan's face. Then he followed through with several punches and kicks, either going for unarmored targets or areas that were covered by armor.

Following a blur of strikes, Bardock hit Sansho with a reverse side kick that sent him up into the air. The Saiyan Rebel appeared before Sansho to deliver a devastating uppercut that sent him higher. Using superior speed, Bardock again appeared in front of Sansho. This time though, he leapt over the hulking Makyan. Then, using the Makyan's shoulders, he reoriented himself in midair before coming down behind Sansho and performing a flip kick to his unprotected back. Finally, Bardock zig-zagged up into the air, both hands clasped above his head as he saw his target come into range. The Saiyan Rebel delivered the final blow in the form of a Double Ax Handle style strike to Sansho's head.

The final blow sent the Makyan crashing into the beach, creating a sizeable crater as well as rocking the island with a few small tremors. Bardock landed in front of everyone, scowl now replaced by an eerily calm expression. Though his back was turned, the Saiyan Rebel knew everyone was looking at him with something akin to awe, shock and pure disbelief.

"Holy crap… That was awesome." Natsu commented in a hushed tone.

Gray, Lucy and Happy could only hum and nod in agreement. Erza stood stock still, silently agreeing with the rest of her team (well Natsu's team). The young knight had traveled across the kingdom and seen many things, even though there was still more to see not just within the borders of the kingdom but outside it. Yet for the life of her, she had never seen fighters of this caliber outside of dark mages and members of her own guild.

Bardock's display of pure power made more questions pop up into her head. She would ask him once they all got off the island.

Wait a minute…

( _"Knowing him, we won't be leaving just yet. UGH! Darn you Natsu Dragneel! I blame you for this!"_ ) She thought irritably.

Yuka, Sherry and Toby all stared at Bardock's back in awe and fear. They had no idea Fairy Tail had a fighter of such capabilities. The minute Sherry eyed Bardock's rippling muscles, she had a slight blush coating her features. Sure, her heart belonged to Lyon but she couldn't help but admire the perfectly sculpted muscles of the Fairy Tail warrior.

( _"I'm sure my dear Lyon wouldn't mind if I just admired the view…"_ ) she thought as she bit her lip.

"Incredible… I had the suspicion Garlic Jr's men were strong but to be matched and then overpowered by such an opponent… I have no words." Yuka said.

Toby simply nodded in agreement with a slight shiver.

Bardock meanwhile just strolled over silently to the crater. Lying there was a now dirtied, bleeding and bruised Sansho, whose head was slightly caved in. The Makyan could only open one eye as he sat up slightly. He was about to pass out and the power up had put a strain on his body. Bardock's attacks certainly didn't help things.

"F-Finish… me…"

"Not before you give me answers. Your comrades weren't very forthcoming with the details. It was mainly chuckles of course but still, I don't like having my time wasted."

Bardock scowled before aiming his right hand at Sansho's downed form. A blue Ki orb formed in his open hand, primed and ready to fire.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way Dickhead. If you give me answers, then I'll give you my permission to die."

Sansho glared weakly as his breathing was getting worse. He coughed a bit before relenting.

"There's four others… plus our leader. Although Nicky, Ginger and I had been with… *cough*… our leader longer, those four are… are… far stronger than we were."

Bardock soaked in this information with a slight nod. Then he narrowed his eyes as the Ki orb in his hand grew a bit.

"Go on."

Sansho coughed some more before his head fell back. The way he was breathing was a sign to the Saiyan that his opponent was pretty much finished.

"You're… a part of… the mission. Deliora is just an… added bonus… for us…"

Sansho's speech trailed off as his breathing worsened. Bardock just got irritated though because he still needed more information. But it just wasn't meant to be.

"Sorry piece of…!"

Bardock with an angry snarl fired off the Ki blast at Sansho, finishing the Makyan off for good. The only thing left that Bardock could see were scorch marks, an expanded crater and the lower half of what used to be Sansho.

"Waste of my goddamn time…" Bardock uttered with a sigh.

He shook his head before turning around and heading towards where the others were. He brushed off his shoulders as he strode towards the people that picked up his interest the most.

The Fairy Tail members and even Lyon's crew were horrified at seeing someone be killed in such a fashion. Although Erza had seen such needless bloodshed only once before, it was an unsettling experience regardless. They should have been angry, outraged or even downright fearful after such a display. But alas, none of them could move at all. None of them would dare utter a word.

Lyon's group tried backing away from the Saiyan as he approached them, fearful they may be next. It wasn't so long ago that they were trying to destroy a village. So it would only make sense that Fairy Tail had a member who wasn't as merciful as the others. They were proven wrong seconds later when Bardock grabbed the rope and decided to drag them in the direction of the village. As he strode off, with his new prisoners in tow, he gave his Fairy Tail comrades a parting shot.

"Quit gawking you morons. We've got work to do, so hustle up!"

That shook the Fairy Tail group out of their stupor. Lucy was cradling a traumatized and frowning Happy close to her chest. Natsu, Gray and Erza shared glances before they all trudged after Bardock with Lucy and Happy following close behind.

They collectively thought how the situation they were in just got all that more complicated.

* * *

 **A/N: And done!**

 **This chapter is pretty weak because I haven't touched it in a while. (If you say otherwise, then we all win.)**

 **The fights on Galuna went as expected so there was no need to show them. However, this won't always be the case. In future arcs, we will see a more improved Team Natsu (again an alternate name would be nice), face off against the foes that obviously gave them trouble.**

 **For Gray vs Lyon, that fight will be altered only slightly. That fight will be winner take all and bragging rights. Plus, I figured Gray could use a chance to cool down and get his head together before ultimately fighting his fellow Ice Make mage.**

 **With the presence of more DBZ characters now in play, we have deviated from canon.**

 **Lucy needed a few wins in this arc so I helped her out. Her trap worked because Angelica wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.**

 **Next up, Bardock takes on the Spice Boys while Gray settles things once and for all with Lyon. But when will Garlic Jr. take the field? Soon friends… soon.**

 **In your reviews, include your opinion on E3 this year and the game you are looking forward to playing the most.**

 **For me… Modern Warfare, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Halo Infinite, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, and Final Fantasy VII. Cyberpunk 2077 I'll probably buy because of my guy John Wick, I mean Keanu Reeves. Plus… the game looks too much fun not to buy.**

 **Thanks for the continued support and shout out to you readers and authors who continued to read and re-read the story while I wasn't updating. I thank you all for your patience.**

 **See ya later!**


	16. The Spice Boys

**A/N: [Witty greeting goes here!]**

 **Welp, that went well…**

 **Anyways welcome back everyone.**

 **Quick question… who is funnier on their best days? Luffy, Goku or Naruto?**

 **My money is on Monke D. Luffy. He's bright, funny, adventurous and a righteous guy. Also…**

 **(*Takes deep breath*, *Looks to the heavens with fists in the air*)**

" **MEEEEEAAAAAAAATTTTTTT!"**

 **Been getting into One Piece Fan Fiction by the way (About damn time). As far as the Anime and Manga is concerned, I couldn't keep up after that whole CP9 thing. Had a video game help me with the rest of the story, so now I'm caught up. I know a good majority if not all the crew by heart by now. Also, my preferences of pairings for Luffy would be between Boa Hancock and/or Nami.**

 **Also… another project has been added to the list. This story is a One Piece Fan fiction that twists canon to the point where our hero achieves power beyond the imagination of that world. Not only that, I want to bring forth my vision of Luffy which is still 100% goofball and also 100% Grade A Badass. So Badass that certain Marines will fear the power our Straw Hat Maverick will unleash on those who dare threaten his friends (and his brothers).**

 **In response to your reviews…**

 **Bardock won't change much and he's still the badass we've come to know and admire. Hope the fights were to your liking. If not, I'll keep improving.**

 **Lastly… shout out to author** _ **Plasma Dragon 312**_ **! This contributor to the site has made a story titled "Class 1-A watches Reach". Those who are well versed in all things Anime and Games would have guessed right to what that story is about. This author is a saint and for the first time since I became a member of the site, someone is having a group of characters watch the Halo series play out instead of having actual characters there to interact with. I strongly recommend you favorite and follow that story. I personally am excited and want to see where the story goes.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Galuna Island, Villager Camp**

 **Late Morning/Noon**

Yuka had seen many things in his young life. Most of it good, while the rest… not so much.

See the thing is, Yuka like Lyon, Gray, Sherry and even Toby, had a history with the demon known as Deliora. And like Lyon and Gray, he had a tragic history in connection to one of Deliora's destructive rampages. Sherry and Toby were the same way. But that wasn't the end of their story, oh no…

Yuka eventually traveled west towards the Kingdom of Fiore like the others, Lyon being the sole exception. It was in the Kingdom of Fiore where Yuka met Toby and Sherry. And it was in the Kingdom of Fiore where all three paths of the mages met at a well-known guild called Lamia Scale.

The three mages were then taken under the tutelage of the guild master as well as Lamia Scale's resident Wizard Saint Jura Neekis, known around the kingdom as 'Iron Rock Jura'. A few adventures here, some jobs there and voila, Yuka and his two companions became somewhat formidable mages in their own right.

Life was going as normal until roughly three years ago though.

Somehow, someway Lyon tracked down the three mages and told them his story. It was after hearing his story that they were presented with a unique opportunity: To resurrect Deliora and then take revenge upon the demon. Of course it wasn't so simple. The conversation that followed the proposal consisted of the typical weighing of pros and cons as well as the mention of the Magic Council. Lyon assured them the mission would be all worth it in the end. So without further delay the trio agreed. And for the past three years they helped Lyon move Deliora to Galuna Island, do the research of how to free the demon and provide security when necessary.

( _"Too bad it's over now…"_ ) Yuka thought bitterly.

Now though?

Yuka, Sherry and Toby were all tied up, separately this time. The minute the mystery warrior from Fairy Tail brought them to the camp, their collective fear of him suddenly became a collective fear of the villagers. Yuka and his companions expected torture and possibly death at their hands, it was only fitting. It wasn't that long ago that the trio were planning to kill the villagers and destroy the villagers in order to accomplish their mission.

But fate smiled upon them that day.

Turns out, the scarlet haired teen that accompanied the Mystery warrior was none other than Erza Scarlet, the Fairy Queen. Toby was damn near close to shitting bricks once the mage's identity was confirmed. Sherry just shivered in fright, begging for the nightmare to end.

Anyways, Erza along with the Salamander and company tried to perform crowd control, with their attempts only working partially. It wasn't until the warrior, who came to be identified as Bardock stepped in. Once the warrior took control of the situation, the villagers went about their day. But some were pulled aside by the man himself and given a specific set of tasks. Most of the tasks came down to typical requests for food, water and shelter. The last was a surprise though.

Bardock wanted a separate tent for Yuka and his friends. Not only that, he organized guards and security for the camp, seeing how the actual village was in the middle of repairs.

So that was the situation they were in. At the complete mercy of the villagers they nearly killed and an unknown mage who didn't mind killing at all.

"This is a bit out of character for me but… I'm scared Yuka…" Sherry whispered with a sad frown.

"If I can cut the ropes, we can escape!" Toby suggested with a smile.

Yuka just stared out where the entrance of the tent was. His teammates glanced over at each other before they looked at him.

"Yuka?" Sherry whispered softly.

The bushy brow mage just sighed and shook his head.

"It's pointless you two. All we can do now is wait for whatever comes next." He told them.

"But…"

"Don't worry Sherry. I'll make sure no harm comes to you." He assured her with a confident smile.

Sherry just gave a soft smile in return and muttered a quick 'thank you'.

The trio then heard a noise before turning in the direction of the entrance. The minute someone walked in, blood drained from their faces. Standing before them was the fearsome warrior who had not only defeated but killed two of Garlic Jr's men with ease.

Bardock scowled at weak bunch in front of him. He crossed his arms and looked down on them with a powerful gaze that could make weak willed men spill bodily fluids uncontrollably. Toby and Sherry sat a bit closer to Yuka where their shoulders were practically touching.

"Alright then maggots let's talk."

Yuka swallowed thickly before straightening up his posture.

"What is it you wish to know?" he asked.

Several moments passed as the two just stared each other down. Toby and Sherry were nervous, each moment building up the silent dread they tried to burry. They were awake when Bardock had killed one of Garlic Jr's men. Though neither were strangers to death, they had never taken a life. And the sight of seeing someone kill another living being in such a fashion brought up unfavorable memories. They were brought out from their thoughts when Bardock managed to snag a chair. He oriented the chair in a way where his chest was on the chair's back rest. He crossed his forearms and placed his chin atop them.

"I want to know who those bastards were working for. I also want to know what Deliora is. Any other details would be great too. Otherwise, I don't have to break any of your bones." Bardock stated.

Yuka closed his eyes and thought about it for a moment.

The pro of giving this man information would be less pain and his comrades would not be in danger.

The obvious con was failure of the mission. Which meant he failed both Lyon and Garlic Jr.

But when he thought about it, Yuka and his friends were light mages. They shouldn't be doing something as dangerous as releasing a dying demon, let alone helping some nut job who clearly wasn't human. He also figured Lyon needed a heavy reality check in the best way possible if he were to survive and fulfill a new dream.

Yuka opened his eyes and gave Bardock a nod. The Wave magic user cleared his throat a little before starting.

"It would help if I start from the beginning. You see, it began several years ago…"

* * *

 **In another tent, with Natsu's team**

The five Fairy Tail members sat in silence. It was best to just regroup and take stock of the situation they were in, but they spoke no words.

Fairy Tail's Strongest team followed the man who might as well be considered one of if not the strongest in the guild into the jungle towards the village. What they didn't expect was to be led to a secondary camp that the team had no knowledge of. They didn't have time to dwell on this, as the villagers descended upon them. The villagers at first thanked them for their help and protecting the village as well as the people. Then, the villagers took a mob mentality, aiming to punish the trio of mages that belonged to Lyon's group for their attack earlier. The rat, Angelica as she was called, was put into a cage and guarded at all times. Moka announced that they would kill the rat, then torture and banish the mages from the island. The villagers didn't want to go to such extremes but they were open to some sort of punishment.

The Fairy Tail mages did their best in calming down the crowd but their efforts were only delaying things. Bardock stepped in though and essentially ended the craziness before it got out of hand. He ripped Chief Moka a new one before taking charge and getting all the information he needed from the villagers. Bardock was informed of the Job request, what happened to the village, the villagers' condition and the state of supply. From then on Bardock took charge and had the villagers moving about, taking care of whatever needed to be taken care of.

Repairs needed to be done to the village since it had still taken damage from the attack committed earlier. Bardock didn't need to help organize much of who needed to do what and what was needed to get the job done.

Temporary shelters were rapidly setup for those displaced by the attack and for those who were in charge of village affairs, including the Chief.

Security and Defense was organized by Bardock himself. The Saiyan was proud of his handiwork once everything was said and done. Those who would be defending the village and operating as security now had the necessary tools to perform their jobs effectively. Bardock made sure to give tips and pointers so the villagers wouldn't have to worry about a formidable force interrupting their daily lives with violence. At least the villagers would have a competent army of sorts…

After all village affairs were handled, Bardock had ordered the team to go to one of the tents to eat and rest up. He then informed them that he was going to handle interrogating the trio of mages that were tied up. As if on cue, they were going to object until he countered saying that he would only take the interrogation as far as breaking a few bones and nothing more.

So that's where they were. They had eaten, gotten in a small nap but other than that they just sat, spread out in the tent in silence. Erza had taken a chair by the tent entrance.

Erza had known the details of the job but she didn't know about what her teammates were up to since arriving on the island.

The scarlet haired knight should have reprimanded Bardock for his actions in the fight, if it was even a fight to begin with. The sight of Bardock killing that… man, made her relive some of the darkest moments of her past before Fairy Tail. She hated herself for what she had done and vowed never to do so again. Hell, she unconsciously hated all those who killed, for most reasons not relating to self-defense. Then she thought back to the trial with the Magic Council…

( _"He said he was a soldier. He's killed before obviously. Did he fight in a war? Or is there something darker there that I prefer not to find out about?"_ ) She wondered.

More questions peppered her thoughts. Bardock had many things to answer for.

Gray just relaxed on makeshift bed on the ground that consisted of a cloth and a pillow. He was brooding, trying to process what just happened. First they beat Lyon's lackeys then two of Garlic Jr's men show up, probably to fight. Then Bardock and Erza show up, the former being a savior from the heavens while the latter was some sort of punisher from the depths of the underworld.

Gray shuddered as he swore he felt Erza glance his way.

Anyways, Bardock then fought Garlic Jr's men at a ferocity he could only dream of. Hell, the Ice mage was having a hard time keeping up with the fight once the intensity picked up. But whatever he was thinking crashed to a halt once Bardock ended the fight… and the lives of those two men.

The raven haired teen had a hard time trying to understand what Bardock was thinking and why he felt it was necessary to kill his opponents. Fairy Tail members don't kill! Sure, some mages have had to kill as a last resort, mainly independent and dark ones. If a light mage kills it better be worth it or the Magic Council would step in. Light mages kill only as a last resort and if the threat is major enough to cause massive loss of life.

( _"Did he really need to kill them?"_ ) He thought.

Natsu sat with his arms crossed, Lucy by his side while she had a sleeping Happy in her lap.

They were wary of a man who had become their savior on occasion and also their friend. Erigor's brutal beat down should have wrung alarm bells in their head that Bardock was much more meaner than most people.

But when they thought about it, they didn't really know much about his past other than what he offered the night they met. There was still so much of a story he had to tell. Natsu may have not liked it but his dragon instincts whispered that Bardock did the smart thing in killing Garlic Jr's men. Was it right? Probably not. But it was the smart thing to do. If it wasn't for Bardock, the Fairy Tail crew probably wouldn't survive whatever those two had in mind along with the rest of Garlic Jr's men.

The team just waited in patience for several moments until Bardock entered the tent. Everyone minus Happy turned their attention towards him. The Saiyan Rebel crossed his arms before speaking.

"Looks like you four found yourselves in quite the clusterfuck." He joked with a grin.

Erza merely rolled her eyes before standing up. She walked over to him and place her hands on her hips.

"I take it you have the information we need?" She queried.

Bardock nodded.

"Yeah. This mission they were on, approved or not, is a lot more complicated than what they tried signing up for."

Bardock then turned to the other four people in the tent.

"We only know one side of the story kids. You have some explaining to do. So I suggest you start talking or else I'll let Erza drag your sorry asses back to Magnolia kicking and screaming." He half suggested, half threatened.

That put some octane in their fuel. Happy immediately woke up once he heard Erza and kicking. The blue feline and Lucy clung to a frightful Natsu while Gray was sweating bullets waving his hands back and forth.

"H-Hey now! No need for that! We'll talk." Gray acquiesced.

"Good." Bardock grunted.

The Saiyan Rebel took a chair and sat in the same fashion he did with Lyon's lackeys. Erza simply stood right beside him. Internally, the Saiyan was chuckling at the fact he was playing the 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' routine with Erza of all people.

( _"Hell, my ass could have been a Galactic Patrolman. Gine and the others would never let me live that down."_ ) He mused.

Gray cleared his throat and began filling Bardock and Erza in on what's been happening with him. He made sure to mention how he volunteered to bring Natsu, Lucy and Happy back for Master Makarov but failed. Then Gray filled them in on the one known as Bobo, his disappearance and then the team crashing onto the island thanks to a rogue tidal wave.

The details were rather ordinary and boring until the team's encounter with Angelica and the exploration of the temple ruins the following day. It was then young Fullbuster told Erza and Bardock about the discovery of Deliora and Lyon's group alongside Garlic Jr's appearance.

It was at that point Bardock asked Gray what his connection to Deliora was. The Ice mage once again told of the tragic tale of his village, his parents and his mentor. Erza adopted a softer expression, internally conflicted knowing how personal this mission had become for the young man who was practically her brother. She needed to get him and the others back to the guild. Natsu may have been good but he wasn't qualified to take this mission. Lucy and Happy tagged along foolishly. But Gray? What was his intentions outside of stopping Deliora?

Once Gray was done speaking, Bardock sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Damn kid. You haven't had it easy have you?"

Gray just clenched his fists in his lap while looking down. The others minus Bardock looked at him with concern. The Saiyan disregarded Gray's inner turmoil and continued.

"Weird enough, you, that Lyon guy and those other three are pretty much in the same boat yet on opposite sides." He idly stated.

The others looked at him with confused and curious expressions.

"Wait… what do you mean?" Gray asked slightly wide eyed.

Bardock stood up and placed his chair back near the tent entrance. He looked on at the group and crossed his arms while explaining some of what he had learned earlier.

"During my interrogation, those three brought me up to speed on details pertaining to their personal lives as well as what's been going on here on this island. Turns out, those three are mages that belong to Lamia Scale. On top of that, they're here in secret so they don't get kicked out of the guild for what they're about to do." He explained.

The others looked at him with disbelieving and surprised looks. Erza of course was shocked and a bit appalled. Shocked because she knew the guild that was mention and knew about one of its more famous members. Appalled because she didn't think light mages could do something so low as to kill civilians and unleash a demon.

"What do you mean they're from Lamia Scale? And how in the world are they in the same boat as me and Lyon?" Gray pushed with a frown.

"Because all three lost family and friends to Deliora around the same time you and Lyon did." Erza deduced.

Bardock just glanced over to his side, his eyes lighting up in approval. The others were stunned at this revelation.

"B-But… why would they…?" Lucy shakily queried.

Bardock's eyes were back forward, eyeing the group.

"Revenge. Lyon gave them the perfect opportunity to see Deliora destroyed for all the crimes the demon committed so they joined forces with him. He didn't offer them this opportunity until a few years ago though. Unlike wallowing in whatever he was wallowing around in, those three took your example and journeyed west. Still, his offer was too lucrative to pass up so I for the most part can understand why they did what they did. Makes sense, even if it is stupid." He answered.

Gray just blinked disbelievingly. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Those three… followed along a similar path that he had taken after Ur's passing. But then Lyon came into their lives and could have very well jeopardized everything.

"I don't believe it…" Gray muttered as he looked to the ground.

"They wasted all that time to bring back a dying demon just to fight it? That's really stupid. And believe me when I say that because I've been known to do stupid things before." Natsu commented.

"Can't help but agree with you there Natsu." Lucy seconded with a nod.

"Aye." Happy chimed in.

"Even worse they've teamed up with some well-known Makyan to boot. If that bastard brings back Deliora to full strength and then some, I might have to pull out my trump card." Bardock said aloud.

The others picked up on his statement and more questions were raised in their head.

"Speaking of…" Gray began.

"What the heck is a Mohican?" Natsu asked.

"Ugh… Makyan Natsu." Lucy corrected with an exasperated sigh.

"Right. What did I say?"

Lucy sighed and just ran her hand through Natsu's hair. Gray just sent an exasperated glare towards his rival while Erza just smiled the interaction. Bardock didn't really need a Natsu sized headache so he just answered the attempted question.

"Makyan's are natives to a planet known as Makyo Star back where I come from. They're well known for being ugly as hell while also dabbling in what some considered Black Magic."

With the sole exception being Gray, the others picked apart the brief summary and knew exactly what this meant.

"Um Bardock? If they're from another planet does that mean…?" Lucy trailed off.

The Saiyan nodded his head in response. That confirmed things for the ones that knew some details to Bardock's origins.

Apparently threats from his universe were now here on Earth Land.

Erza kept her composure but simply narrowed her eyes as a bead of sweat went down her temple. Natsu ran a hand through his hair, looking a tad bit nervous like his two partners. Meanwhile, poor Gray was just confused and a little lost.

"W-Wait a minute! Makyo Star? Another planet? Just what the hell are you talking about?!" Gray exclaimed.

Bardock glanced over at Erza giving her an unspoken cue. She nodded before turning to Gray.

"From my observation it appears Natsu, Lucy and Happy are part of a select group of people who knows of Bardock's origins, even if it was brief in detail."

Gray nodded with his face still twisted in confusion.

"I am a part of that group and so is the Magic Council."

All eyes settled back on the man in question.

"You see Gray… Bardock is an alien who was thrusted into our world from another universe. By what circumstances remains a mystery though." She concluded.

Gray just darted back and forth between the man and the rest of the team. This was nuts! Aliens? Other universes? This was beginning to be too much.

"I don't believe it…" Gray muttered in disbelief.

"We live in a world of magic Gray. I was skeptical to believe Natsu was raised by a dragon when we first met but…"

Lucy looked over to Natsu with a warm smile.

"Somewhere deep down I knew it had to be true. One look in his eyes was all that needed to be said. Plus, after what hearing Mira out it only confirmed what I already knew to be true."

Natsu returned her smile with a blinding grin. The pair plus Happy looked over at Gray with confident smiles.

"So yes Gray, Bardock is who he says he is. And we believe him." She told him.

Gray then blinked before nodding numbly. Then the ice user turned to Erza for any type of answers or explanations or… something!

"He may not have much proof to bear but I've kept an open mind and I have not once doubted his sincerity."

She then turned to the focus of the conversation, dropping her casual tone for one more suited for business.

"However, if we are going to be finishing this mission I believe it would be best to get the entire story. I'm not exactly a big fan of being in the dark for too long." Erza stated.

Bardock looked over the group and saw their expecting gazes. Natsu, Lucy and Happy were a bit reluctant but the Saiyan could tell they were curious and patient enough to hear him out. Gray treated him with suspicion and wariness. He snorted internally at that. Part of Gray's issue was sometimes being a stick in the mud. But in truth Bardock didn't care and brushed it off. Lastly there was Erza… he knew part of the redhead's motivation was getting dirt on him. The other part… he also figured it was a Fairy Tail thing of bonding or some sentimental BS that honestly made him grimace a little.

He went through the pros and cons of going over his past and the history of his people with four teens and a talking cat. The biggest benefit would be they would be the only ones to know ALMOST all of the full story. But the biggest consequence?

( _"I will in all likelihood alienate the team, the only people I've built any type of meaningful relationship with since coming here. But the way I see it, I'm a lone wolf anyways. Hell, I was thinking of even helping them out a bit. Their enemies are only going to get stronger and stronger. And the way I see it, this bunch won't be ready for foes stronger than themselves. If they hate me and refuse my help after I tell them this, it's not my problem."_ )

At the end of the day, by the time they would get back to Magnolia, most of the team's memberships in the guild would be on the line for stealing an S-Class quest. Bardock would probably come close to banishment for his past alone, despite the Saiyan hearing Gine's beautiful voice deny that assumption vehemently… before threatening him with a meat cleaver and calling him stupid.

Anyways, if his time at Fairy Tail was over he could always become and independent mage and operate on his own rules. Those type of mages didn't have the same restrictions and red tape as light guild mages. Still had to be the hero and do work for the council but oh well.

The Saiyan Rebel closed his eyes and sighed before his tali unfurled from his waist. Everyone except Erza went comically wide eyed at the sight. Bardock opened his eyes and motioned for Erza to sit before looking back over the team.

"I guess it goes without saying that what I say does not leave this tent under any circumstance. The only other person that will be allowed to know after today is the old man. The rest of the guild can learn at a later date at which I deem fit. Do you understand?"

They all collectively nodded.

"Good."

Bardock tilted his head up, a faraway look in his eyes. The others were a bit anxious and the look in Bardock's eyes told them of a story that they could never experience in their wildest dreams. He looked back down on the team, suddenly feeling much older at the moment.

"I should start off by saying this story isn't for the faint of heart. My story and the story of my people is bloody and brutal. You see, it all began some time ago…"

* * *

 **Galuna Temple Ruins**

 **Chambers**

The ritual was prepared and ready once nightfall came.

But security had taken a hit and Lyon's great plans were in doubt.

As of now, Lyon Vastia was walking through the temple as a way to pass the time and get a status report from his trusted and shady advisor, Zalty. Said shady man was sitting on a floating crystal ball, both passing ancient writings within the temple depths.

"Let me get this straight… not only did Yuka and his team fail to eliminate the villagers and those wizards, but they were captured as well?" Lyon inquired with an irritable scowl.

Zalty, usually sporting a smirk that lied between smug and condescending, was frowning. Those who know Zalty well, knows Zalty is almost always smiling about something. But not today and not since last night has anyone spotted a smile cross the advisor's face.

"That… is correct. It also appears that those wizards received backup in the form of two more members from their guild." Zalty replied.

Lyon stopped before turning to face Zalty with narrowed eyes. The Ice mage had the sinking suspicion there was more bad news.

"I take it there's more."

Zalty nodded slowly before replying.

"I was able to observe everything from start to finish. It appears that Erza Scarlet and a new member of Fairy Tail made land fall very early this morning. Their arrival was marked after the four intruders managed to beat Yuka and his team."

Lyon shook his head in frustration before crossing his arms. It was thanks to Yuka that Lyon knew who not to draw the attention of. But for Erza of Fairy Tail to be here? The great Titania herself? He was excited at the prospect yet nervous at the same time. His mind was already planning the defeat of Gray as well as the one known as 'Salamander'. But to defeat Titania and Deliora as well would be a feat of legend. But there were kinks in his plan he needed to iron out if he were to succeed. So he composed himself before speaking again.

"Anything else to report?"

Zalty looked a bit hesitant before replying.

"Well…" Zalty trailed off.

Lyon raised a brow at this. He didn't realize that Zalty had been acting out of character until now. Just what was going on?

"It appears the newcomer that came with Titania killed two of Garlic Jr's men in combat. In addition to that, I can confirm that Yuka and his team, along with the rat were captured by the Fairy Tail mages."

Silence then reigned in for several moments. The person who was using Zalty as a disguise, felt sweat slowly go down their brow. Although in reality they could take on the self-proclaimed successor of Ur, they were still a bit nervous to Lyon's temper. Why? Because they couldn't reveal their identity and risk questions that did not need to be asked.

"What?" Lyon growled out.

Zalty gulped and evaluated his options. His best chances were to keep the details of Bardock's fight to a minimum in order to not damage Lyon's massive ego. In addition to that, Zalty had to make sure to include all details of the fight between Yuka's team and the Fairy Tail group.

Hopefully tonight could be fruitful and three years of hard work would pay off. Otherwise, it was just another useless venture. So, steeling his features, Zalty went into detail the events from earlier all while managing to keep Lyon from going berserk.

* * *

 **Villager Camp**

 **Evening**

Bardock was meditating in a tent separate from the team. He needed clarity and a chance to focus. He knew that the fight was about to get tougher.

From the intel he's gather earlier this was what he found…

An utter shit show.

First, the villagers were cursed (didn't surprise him all that much but still weirded him out). Apparently the village chief was adamant that the moon she be destroyed since it was the source of the villagers' collective plight. Erza, as well as Bardock himself knew better. The source of the curse wasn't the moon itself but something else entirely. Oh well, he was sure Erza would figure it out. He was just there to kick ass.

Second, the demon Deliora was sitting within the temple. The demon was one of Zeref's creations. Bardock just had a gut feeling that was the case, if the experience with Lullaby and Gray's tale were anything to go by. He was going to ask Levy for help in research the chance he got back to Magnolia. The Saiyan Rebel knew more demons were out there.

Third, Ur's other student Lyon was on the island trying to free a dying demon just to fight it. Gray and Lyon were pretty much blood brothers almost while under the tutelage of Ur when they studied under during their childhood. Turns out, Ur had a daughter at one point who died under unknown circumstances. Ur's troubles didn't end when Gray thought he was strong enough to take on Deliora during one of the demon's rampages. That incident cause a broken brotherhood and a loss of a mentor. For all the talk of Natsu being a hot head, Gray wasn't exactly cool under pressure either.

Fourth, the Moon Drip ceremony only worked at night. With Lyon's personal team of mages out of the way, disrupting the ceremony would be easy. All the ceremony was doing was concentrating the power of the moon into a magic funnel and melting the ice. Simple and effective. There was also the possibility that the ceremony might have been behind the curse of the villagers, so there was that too.

And fifth…

( _"Five Makyans left. Turns out, this Garlic Jr offered that Lyon kid a way to beat Deliora at full strength and then some. Son of a bitch catered to that kid's ego and there's a chance a lot of people are going to pay for it… but that's where I come in though. Gotta deal with his men first though. Only four left…"_ ) He summarized.

Bardock was now facing the possibility of facing four opponents all at once. Something he hasn't done since sparring with his squad, fighting Dodoria's men, and fighting members of Frieza's army, all in that order. It was a bit of a tall order and had this been before when his power level put him at the elite level, he would have been in serious trouble. But after the battle on Planet Meat and trying to take on Frieza?

( _"I'm so much stronger than before. I feel more power flowing through me than I've ever dreamed of having. But I've been holding back for too long outside of training. It's finally time to put my power to the test and see where I stand. Plus, I haven't trained_ _that_ _form in a while. Hopefully my sanity stays intact long enough to get the job done should all else fail."_ )

Bardock was interrupted from his musings when he felt a familiar presence enter the tent. He opened his eyes and stared down a very calm Erza Scarlet. He stood up and stretched a little, avoiding her gaze while doing so.

"That time huh?"

She gave him a soft nod. He grunted before finishing his stretches and exiting the tent with the knight in tow. As she fell in step behind him, she couldn't help but remember what she and the others heard a few hours earlier.

"Bardock… about before…" She trailed off softly.

"Forget about it."

She looked at him surprised as they neared the gate.

"My past is my past for a reason. I warned all of you it was bloody and brutal. The way I see it, I'll keep fighting until the day I die. And when that day comes, I'll be more than happy to go to hell for the sins I've committed."

He glanced over his shoulder, looking at her with a feral grin.

"Besides, I need to see if the devil is strong or not. He hasn't completely earned the right to torture my soul if he can't fight worth a damn." He half joked.

Erza was honestly taken aback by this. But after thinking about a few things and what he had told her and the others, this just made too much sense to her. This was Bardock being his typical self.

Hours earlier Bardock had told the entire team the history of the Saiyan race and his personal history. The only details he kept out were his final days alive, certain missions he participated in and any details regarding his family. He didn't think they earned the right to know just yet. At least Cana knew about his wife but the team didn't. No one knew about his sons though. There was no sure way to explain that part of his life without involving more personal details and explaining the fact he had clairvoyance forcefully pushed onto him.

The reactions to his story were rather typical. The group mostly radiated great anger and disgust at the brutality and savagery the Saiyans displayed throughout their history. Bardock took this with great stride, brushing off the remarks and comments about the nature of most Saiyans. He even made sure to answer any impromptu questions without so much raising his voice. Sure he hated being interrupted but he figured it wouldn't do any good to flare his power at the group in the long run.

After briefing the team on the basics of Saiyans and Saiyan culture, he moved onto the history with the Tuffles and with the Cold Family. But once they heard him mention Frieza, they knew there was an audible shift in his mood. They realized he had been keeping his cool the entire time while they were visibly upset from what they were hearing. But once that was mentioned, it was almost as if hell frozen over five times and then heated back up just to freeze again. Even Erza, for all her righteousness and composure, felt the effects.

It was then they heard of the sadistic tyrant known as Frieza. Without going too into detail about his situation and ignoring the fact that four members of the team pestered him about a certain event, Bardock pretty much told them how Frieza put him in the situation he was in now. He didn't verify how his people were practically exterminated and the fate of Planet Vegeta. In the end, he told them he still had goals of his own and he intended to protect the guild as a way of giving back. He walked out leaving them to their own thoughts.

Erza broke the silence and decided to help the team with their mission. She made sure to point out no Jewel would be gained but they would make great use of the gate key. Gray honestly didn't mind as long as he could put the mission behind him. Natsu was more than happy to help Lucy get another Zodiac key while also getting valuable battle experience. The Dragon Slayer luckily managed to keep his feline partner from making a remark about possibly pawning off a zodiac key, which Lucy was thankful for.

The group didn't really have much of a plan outside of storming the temple and allowing Gray to take on Lyon. As long as the ritual could be stopped there wouldn't be much of an issue. Lyon's personal team was already being held prisoner by the villagers so that was one less obstacle. The biggest issue presented was Garlic Jr and his men. And the only solution presented was the man with a past more questionable than some dark mages. Gray argued how untrustworthy he was but the others surprisingly overruled him. Natsu may not have liked Bardock's past all that much but he was willing to give the man a chance since the Saiyan asked for his help back in Hargeon. Lucy and Happy were following Natsu's lead for similar reasons. And Erza reined Gray in with words of wisdom regarding Bardock's past. She also reminded Gray how not everyone's past in Fairy Tail was pretty. Gray reluctantly agreed but still stated he didn't trust the man.

So now the team was gathered at the gates of camp. Bardock looked the team over, Gray facing away from everyone else with his shirt off and hands in his pockets. The Saiyan Rebel brushed it off and then addressed everyone.

"Alright… Erza's briefed me on this plan of yours. It's a bit rushed but it should do. I deal with Garlic Jr and his men, you lot deal with Lyon and whoever he throws at you."

Everyone except Gray nodded. Bardock made his way outside the gate passing Gray. But then he stopped and peered over at the Ice mage.

"And Gray?"

Said teen perked up with a raised eyebrow.

"If you're getting your ass handed to you, Natsu is taking over your fight. If you can't fight with a clear head you're a liability."

Gray gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. He really didn't need a mass killer telling him how to fight. The others sent worried glances his way but he brushed it off. Bardock stared straight ahead before giving the command.

"Let's go."

Again, everyone minus Gray nodded before taking off into the jungle. They had picked an opportune time when the sun was going down and still had the best visibility when going down the designated path. One thing was for certain…

This was going to be one hell of a fight.

* * *

 **Galuna Temple Ruins**

Garlic Jr was tending to Deliora with his powers. Lyon was distracted with that crossdressing mage so there were no concerns there.

However…

"My lord."

The impish Makyan grinned as he paused in his work and turned to see his Four Heavenly Demon Kings kneeling before him. They were far superior than his now deceased subordinates. And given they all died fighting the same man, he figured he could take the gloves off for this fight.

"It's time to welcome our guests. Go forth boys and test him. We shall see if he lives up to his worth." He commanded.

The four Makyans snickered. They removed their cloaks before disappearing in high speeds. Garlic Jr returned to helping strengthen Deliora. But why stop there?

( _"Oh I have great plans for you Demon."_ ) He thought wickedly.

* * *

 **Galuna Jungle**

The Fairy Tail crew were sprinting down a cleared path in the jungle. Bardock wasn't all that bothered by the humidity, given his unique biology. Natsu was a Dragon Slayer whose specialty dealt with all things heat. Gray had his ice so he was set. Erza must've experienced this enough in heavy armor for the humidity to not even bother her. As for Lucy?

…

…

She was on her own as far as he was concerned.

"How close are we to the temple?" Erza asked in stride.

"Should be getting close." Natsu grunted.

"Let's hope so. The moon's not fully out yet so there's still time." Gray chimed in.

Bardock tuned them out for a moment. His senses were picking up something.

"You think they melted the ice yet?" Happy asked as he flew by Lucy.

Lucy gave a shake of her head, breathing a bit hard since she wasn't used to this much running.

"I doubt it. If we stop the ceremony, we can keep Deliora trapped. Besides, they couldn't have melted too much ice since we were there last night." Lucy replied.

"Guess you're right…"

"I know I'm right Happy. Besides we're the strongest team. What could go wrong?"

Bardock slid to a stop as several Ki blasts impacted the dirt in front of the group, kicking up a good sized dust cloud. While the rest of the group coughing and trying to get dirt out of their vision and lungs, Bardock simply stood up straighter than before while glaring ahead.

"You just… *cough*, had to say something huh Lushy?"

"Oh zip it cat…" the blonde retorted weakly.

Natsu stopped his sputtering for a moment before hunching over and growling straight ahead. The growl alerted the rest of the team to something dangerous. They all looked forward and after the dust settled, everyone except Bardock went wide eyed at the sight of four imposing figures with evil grins.

Standing several feet or so away were the Four Heavenly Demon Kings, otherwise known as the Spice Boys. In the middle of the group was Spice, their leader. To Spice's right was Salt and Mustard. To Spice's left was Vinegar.

Bardock hated the fact they were here a bit early than expected. But he couldn't panic with the team now in harms way.

"Go."

Everyone was startled at the order. They looked to Bardock for confirmation and he didn't even bother looking back. They knew that he had entered the zone and he didn't have time to care for their wellbeing.

"You all have a job to do. Get to it." He commanded.

Natsu nodded before motioning for the others to follow him into the jungle. That action left Bardock all alone against the still grinning forms of the Spice Boys. The one known as Spice stepped forward, arms crossed. The Saiyan Rebel's scowl intensified because Spice a little too much like a certain pretty boy who kissed Frieza's ass all day.

In other words… Spice looked a little like Zarbon. And the slight resemblance angered him.

"We've been waiting for you, Saiyan." Spice said with a smirk.

Bardock eyed the group carefully and took the time to gauge their power levels… this gave him a bit of pause.

( _"Shit. Collectively these assholes are gonna give me problems once the fighting starts. Not good."_ )

He narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue.

"Pretty sure one of your comrades mentioned me being a part of your mission. Just what is your mission exactly?"

The four Makyans snickered in response. Spice being the lead, spoke for the other three.

"That's for us to know Saiyan." Spice replied.

Reluctant to turn the island into a warzone, Bardock growled before taking off into the air. It wasn't long before Mustard, Vinegar and Salt followed after him. As the Saiyan reached an acceptable height, he realized there was a purple barrier surrounding the island.

( _"For starters I have a rip-off of the Ginyu force chasing my ass. On top of that, this barrier may give me problems later on."_ )

He primed a Ki orb in his hand as he slowed his ascent.

( _"Let's fix that."_ )

He fired off the orb at an angle, not really aiming anywhere in particular. Once the orb hit, the barrier shattered into thousands, possibly millions of harmless pieces. The Saiyan Rebel didn't take the time to marvel at the spectacle as he had his own issues to deal with. Little did Bardock realize though, he had just fixed the issue that the team was here to solve.

Once he reached a certain point in the sky, he stopped before slipping into his fighting stance. Knowing that his opponents would use numbers to their advantage, Bardock used all his senses to his advantage as they circled him.

"Let's see what you got Saiyan trash." Salt spoke first.

"Today you will feel the might of the Four Heavenly Demon Kings!" Mustard exclaimed.

"And I will prove to Lord Garlic Jr just how weak you really are!" Vinegar yelled.

Bardock's eyes darted side to side as they started to settle into a formation. Their leader was waiting on the ground to participate it seemed. Or was he planning something else. Regardless, Bardock had to keep his guard up.

The attacks came almost instantly.

Vinegar's punch was blocked on one side while Mustard's was blocked on the other. But the Saiyan didn't expect to see what was coming next. Both Makyan's grinned evilly as they grabbed a hold of his arms and stretched him apart. He grunted a little but widened his eyes and realized too late what was about to happen. He snapped his head forward as the shortest member of the Spice Boys rammed into his midsection like a battering ram.

The two brutish Makyans held Bardock in place as Salt took the time to use Bardock's torso like a punching bag, albeit slowly. Bardock grunted in pain and began to get pissed that his opponents would do something as insulting and dare mock his power. Flexing his muscles and increasing his power a bit, he swung his leg back before bringing up to connect with Salt's chin sending him away.

Using his opponent's teammates surprise to his advantage, Bardock ripped one of his arms free before using said arm to uppercut Vinegar. Not a second later did Bardock rip his other arm free to elbow Mustard in the gut before flying off after Salt, who was soaring over the ocean at this point.

The moment the Saiyan Rebel reached Salt, he hit the small Makyan with a flurry of punches to the face and upper body. After a moment or two of that, Bardock continued the combo with a vicious left handed uppercut that sent Salt high into the sky. Not even giving the dwarf-ish Makyan a chance, Bardock increased his speed as well as his power and rocketed into the sky. He performed several rolls before delivering an ax kick to Salt's unprotected head, sending Salt into the water creating a huge splash.

Just as Bardock was about to take breath, a few Ki blasts were sent his way, one impacting his shoulder. Turning around to see who hit him, he was met with a massive barrage of Ki blasts of two different colors. He had to bob and weave across the skies as Mustard and Vinegar were pouring on the barrage, hoping to get another hit in.

"Dammit." Bardock grunted as he dodged a blast aimed for his side.

Bardock opted to take the fight a bit higher into the air by flying away. He weaved again as blasts were aimed for him, some struck him on his back, shoulders and torso. Others missed completely. At one point the barrage stopped and the two brutish Makyans went in for a melee. Bardock raced to meet them with a vicious snarl. Soon Bardock was meeting the two Makyans for each hit they dished out. Then the battle see-sawed across the airspace, both sides wearing down even though neither was going all out.

Salt shook off the pain he was in and raced to join the fray. Once a third Makyan was added to the mix, Bardock was put on the defensive completely. It was while dodging and blocking that Bardock's lips upturned into a feral grin. Then some hits started to come in and he felt his Saiyan blood pump even faster.

( _"Oh. Hell. YES!"_ )

Bardock curled up his body to maximize his defense. Then without warning, a mixture of blue and white Ki outlined his body before expanding into a protective orb.

Utilizing **Explosive Wave** , Bardock pushed his attackers back. And then he retaliated in rising force.

The Saiyan Rebel went for Salt first. The shortest of the Spice Boys was already weakened a bit from earlier so it was a smart move. With a loud war cry, Bardock was on Salt in a split second. He threw every punch he knew on Salt before giving a harsh knee to the gut. A few seconds later Bardock grabbed Salt's arms right at the biceps before pulling. Salt went wide eyed as he stared the grinning Saiyan.

"N-No! S-Stop!" He stammered.

That was when Bardock's fingers sunk deep into Salt's arms causing the Makyan to scream in pain.

"Make me stumpy." Bardock dared evily.

With a resounding roar, Bardock ripped Salt's arms out of his sockets, causing the midget Makyan to let out a blood curdling scream. Bardock threw the arms away, taking a quick moment to admire his work. It was then his senses alerted him that Salt's comrades were about to move in. The Saiyan then got the most wicked of ideas. He looked to the now wounded Salt with a maddening gleam in his eyes.

"COME HERE!"

His hands shot forth and grabbed Salt by his ankles. Then he hoisted the Makyan up like a makeshift blunt object. Bardock then turned around before shooting at the other two Makyans with another roar. Mustard and Vinegar both flinched once they saw what happened to the shortest member of their group. Now they were really mad.

Spice, who had long since left the island dirt, was in the air with an irritated look on his visage. It probably would have been smarter to join in when the others had the Saiyan on the ropes. But, the Saiyan would have in all likelihood done something to give himself the edge.

Back to the fight…

Bardock swung Salt around and hit Mustard hard in the torso. The Saiyan was enjoying himself so much that he opted to get a few more hits in impacting Mustard's head, face, back and torso again. Vinegar came in to his fellow Makyan's aid only to catch Salt's head to his chin, making Vinegar lose a few teeth in the process.

That brief break allowed Mustard to get some distance. He lifted his hands before priming some Ki blasts.

"Die you Saiyan bastard!" He roared.

Bardock's head snapped over to Mustard. His scowl intensified before he tossed Salt in front of him… only to grasp the heavily wounded Makyan by his armor with both hands.

Not deterred that his comrade was a living shield. Mustard fired a succession of Ki blasts hoping to wound the Saiyan or at least slow him down.

It didn't work.

Bardock rushed forward at high speed, making Mustard backpedal. Mustard kept firing and firing but his narrow focus caused him to hit his comrade who was now drifting closer to death. The Saiyan Rebel increased his speed a bit further once he noticed Mustard panic a bit. Extending his arms, Bardock rammed Salt into Mustard's gut. A few seconds later, Bardock's hand went straight through Salt's torso where his heart was, killing him instantly. Although he had one less enemy, the objective of the move was getting to Mustard.

Luckily, Bardock's fingers dug deep enough to get a good hold of Mustard's armor. The Makyan panicked some more before he felt his midsection heat up.

"Sayonara Dirtbag!" Bardock exclaimed.

Firing off a **Full Power Energy Wave** , Bardock watched as a bright blue beam erupted out of Mustard's back. The light spectacle lasted a few seconds before dying down.

Vinegar, who had regrouped with Spice was now seething at the sight before them.

Mustard was now half a Makyan. Anything below the heart and some of the intestines were now gone. The oddest looking Makyan of the group had no life left in his eyes, if the absence of his pupils were anything to go by. His mouth was agape and his arms hung limply by his sides.

Bardock for his credit smirked cruelly at a job well fucking done. He brought his arm back to his person, allowing two corpses to fall into the sea. He turned around before flying back towards the island. He stopped several meters away from the surviving members of the Spice Boys. The Saiyan Rebel slipped into his stance before taunting them.

"Is that all you got?" He mocked with a grin.

Vinegar growled before snapping his head over to Spice who was staring the Saiyan down. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. They had the numbers advantage as well as collective power advantage. So he knew he had to ask the obvious.

"What the hell Spice?!"

Spice, not even caring for his comrade at the moment, just remained calm.

"Hmmm? Something on your mind?" He replied.

Vinegar's eyes widened a moment before narrowing. He growled as he got into Spice's face and grabbed him by the collar. Spice for his part remained as cool as possible.

"Listen runt, you were the leader of the team. Lord Garlic trusted us to succeed and as far as I'm concerned you failed!" He roared.

Spice just stared at him impassively, infuriating his supposed comrade more.

"The way I see it, we would have beaten this damn weakling had you have the guts to fight by our side instead of-"

He was cutoff as Spice blasted a hole in his chest. Bardock was shocked at the turn of events and couldn't help but look on wide eyed.

( _"What the… why did he just…?"_ ) He wondered.

Vinegar was shaking violently, knowing that his life force was fading fast. He couldn't help but look at Spice with a betrayed look.

"Why…?" He quietly asked.

Spice chuckled a little before grabbing hold of Vinegar by his collar. He could feel his former comrade's life waning. So it was best the last of the Spice Boys left him something before passing on.

"Do you really want to know why Vinegar? Our mission was to bring the Saiyan in. But Lord Garlic and I see the bigger picture, something of which none of you understood." He explained.

He started to laugh as he lowered his comrade as to look down on him. Bardock kept his guard up but bared his teeth at the display. He should have expected something like this to happen. Unbeknownst to Bardock, deep within the wells of his soul a golden flame flickered to life. What significance this flame held only time would tell…

"He's only part of the mission dear Vinegar and outside of those three weaklings we offered up…"

Spice aimed his free hand towards Vinegar's head, priming a Ki blast. Vinegar could only stare in horror as his life was about to end.

"You were the biggest liability of them all."

The last thing Vinegar saw was a pinkish flash before knowing no more. He had ultimately been betrayed by his lord's second in command.

Bardock watched as the headless corpse of Vinegar fell from the sky down to the island below. He didn't have much sympathy for the guy given the circumstances but he hated betrayals. It was bad enough he had experienced his own with Frieza.

Spice just crossed his arms and looked at the Saiyan with a sinister smirk.

"Apologies Saiyan. But the game just changed and I finally felt the need to intervene."

Bardock narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth.

"You just made my job easier. However, you pissed me off with that little stunt of yours." He retorted.

Spice just laughed it off before dropping his arms and going into a stance.

"It's not like it would have mattered."

Spice's grin nearly split his face as it widened.

"Besides, my assignment is to see this 'glorious power' of yours before I bring you in so without further delay…"

Bardock inched forward, growling and raising his power.

"Come at me with everything you have monkey." Spice taunted.

Bardock's aura flared and just like that the fight was back on. He managed to zoom in and hit Spice with a right cross that sent the Zarbon lookalike flying. The Saiyan Rebel then zoomed in again, scoring some more hits before Spice retaliated in kind. The two traded blows at high speed, creating shockwaves in Galuna Island's airspace that was felt across the landscape.

At one point Bardock went in for a punch which Spice reacted to by dodging left and kicking Bardock in the upper back. The kick sent Bardock careening into the ground, creating an imprint. The moment he recovered and tried to fly back up, a Ki barrage hit him and the surrounding area, pinning him down for several moments.

Spice continued to fire blasts with both hands, hoping to push his enemy to the limit before completing the mission using his trump card.

In the midst of the barrage, Bardock shot through the dust cloud, looking very much different than before. His left arm band was gone, exposing the mark of Fairy Tail in all its glory. Part of the right hip piece of his armor was gone while the rest of the armor had noticeable cracks in it. There was a small rip in his pants located around his right thigh.

Not caring about his wellbeing or appearance, Bardock roared as he came in, swiped his arm and then gave Spice a speeding shot to the chin using his head. After that move, Bardock gave Spice a dropkick to the torso sending the Spice Boys' Leader back.

Getting a nice break in the action, both combatants were breathing a bit heavier than before. Spice wiped off some blood that was on his mouth before smirking. Bardock stayed quiet though, getting a gut feeling something was off about his opponent. Not only that, his energy had taken a hit since the fight started. It was enough of a hit to make him reevaluate his approach as well as convincing himself that he needed to go all out with what he had left in the tank.

"My, my you really are powerful. No wonder our employer is so interested in you." Spice stated.

Bardock went into his fighting stance, albeit more slowly than before. He was getting a handle on his breathing which was starting to become normal again.

"Unfortunately for you, this will be the furthest you go Saiyan. I hope you're ready."

Spice then spread his arms wide before letting out a blood curdling roar. His eyes lit up the color of rubies and his normal Ki aura shifted to something much sinister. His usual magenta Ki aura was now black mixed with grey. Spice's muscles started to expand all over his body, stretching his armor to the limit.

Winds started to pick up, making Bardock shield his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was feeling at the moment. This power was beyond what he estimated the Makyan's max power to be.

( _"Is this his true power? That's… not good."_ ) He internally noted.

After roughly a minute, Bardock couldn't help but gape at the sight of Spice, who now in a transformed state dwarfed Sansho by a good margin. The Makyan started with a low chuckle before going all out in an evil cackle. Bardock was starting to sweat a bit more, now that he had seen Spice unleash so much power.

Seeing the Saiyan's stupefied look, Spice stopped his cackling to smirk cruelly at his opponent.

"Sorry Saiyan. Haven't had the opportunity to use this form in a while."

Bardock continued to look at him, clenching his fists tightly. He was starting to hesitate and after feeling that power he had every right to do so. But he couldn't just back down after all that. He gritted his teeth and quickly got into a stance, ignoring whatever soreness he had.

Spice just reignited his aura and his eyes lit up in that sinister ruby color again.

"Let me show you the difference between us." He stated with a smirk.

One moment Bardock was looking at his opponent. The next thing he knew, he tried sidestepping a strike only to suffer a punch with the weight of several freight trains behind it. He had no time to recover as Spice came in with more punches that sent him flying out of the island's airspace in seconds. He tried a recovery in mid-air while over the sea only to receive a kick to his side.

( _"There goes one of my ribs… I think."_ ) He groaned internally.

He was ripped from his thoughts when Spice grabbed him with one hand before using the other to punch him, switching from the face to his abdomen. This continued on for a minute or so before Spice released Bardock, letting the Saiyan fall into the ocean. Not too long after Bardock's body impacted the waters, Spice used **Super Ignite** to hopefully knock Bardock out as well as damage him further.

A huge explosion gave Spice the perceived results that he wanted. Since they wandered a bit closer back to the island, the waters were a bit shallower. The Makyan could clearly see Bardock's form, as the Saiyan was on his hands and knees clearly struggling. Spice was going to enjoy this. He had done what his comrades failed to do and that was bringing the Saiyan in.

With Bardock though, the Saiyan was clearly reeling. He coughed up some water before wiping his mouth with his uncovered arm.

"Goddamn…" He groaned.

He slowly looked around him and couldn't help but marvel a little at the spectacle. He was on the ocean floor yet there was no water. The force and power of the blast created a whirlpool. In better terms, Bardock was on flat ground while the scene around him was a waterfall.

( _"My energy took a hit. And right now I need to finish this fight and fast."_ )

Bardock slowly staggered to a knee before attempting to stand up. The minute he reached his feet, he hunched over with his fists clenched at his sides. For a moment he couldn't think at all. For a moment he just couldn't do anything but just stand there and breathe.

"I see you've accepted your fate Saiyan."

Spice's slowly touched the sea floor, which was now slowly starting to get water back. His hulking form was way too abnormal when compared to Bardock's.

Speaking of, the Saiyan couldn't speak a word. Instead, it was like he was in a different zone. Deep within the recesses of Bardock's soul, the golden flame burned even brighter than before. That flamed evolved into a howling beast, itching for a chance to escape its confines.

Outside, Bardock's aura erupted in a brilliant flash that blinded Spice for a moment. The sight that met him was rather unnerving. Bardock's aura had shifted from white to a brilliant shade of navy. The Saiyan was starting to roar and his power was jumping higher and higher. At one point it surpassed Spice's… and it didn't stop.

( _"What the hell?! His power just skyrocketed! She said he was a freak of nature but… wow!"_ ) Spice thought fearfully.

Bardock eventually reached his max power… the gap wasn't even close. He stood up straight, wet and bleeding, glaring at his opponent. It was then Spice heard the words that would lead to his downfall.

"Time for round 2 you rotten, Makyan prick."

Spice felt a fist impact his jaw, sending him up into the sky. Bardock raced after him and decided to modify one of his experimental moves.

 **Rebellion Spear**.

With his aura ignited, he charged high into the sky, both fists forward. In a dazzling display of speed, Bardock attacked Spice from varying angles. Each hit to Spice was worse than the ones he dished out to Bardock. His armor was no longer a factor and the power he felt before wasn't doing him any good.

"IT'S OVER!"

Spice's eyes widened as he saw Bardock was now coming to him from below. The Saiyan Rebel's right hand was seemingly covered in orange-yellow flames, cocked back and ready to hit whatever target the Saiyan was aiming for. Spice went for a cross guard but the moment Bardock's fist hit he felt intense heat on his arms before it hit his face. Then Spice knew no more.

Bardock's attack was so intense in heat, Spice's arms disintegrated down to the bone, making them useless. Once the Saiyan's fist connected with his chin in an uppercut, Spice's head flew right off before disintegrating after catching fire.

Bardock watched as Spice's body slowly depowered before falling into the sea. He breathed heavily as the adrenaline slowed. He was sore all over his body, had a few cuts and quite possibly a broken rib or two. He squeezed one eye shut as he tried to tune out the pain he was in. His aura dropped and he tried to control his breathing. Once that was done he looked up at the island. He shook his head, getting out the cobwebs so he could refocus. He straightened up as best he can and had both eyes open. With added fuel to his determination, Bardock flew back to the island to regroup with the team.

As it stood, even in victory…

( _"You're next Garlic Jr."_ )

… The fight was not over.

* * *

 **A/N: Done!**

 **Bardock just learned Heat Phalanx in his fight against Spice.**

 **This chapter was not an easy one to write because I visualized so many different scenarios within Bardock's fight against the Spice Boys. The result would have been same regardless but I had some neat ideas what the Spice Boys could have done differently. Same goes for Bardock, given he could strategize while in a fight.**

 **Yes Bardock's told a good majority of his past to Team Natsu (new team names are applicable). Some details, as explained before, will remain a secret for now. But one secret will be revealed next chapter.**

 **What is in store for next chapter? Two fights!**

 **Gray (w/ Natsu) vs Lyon (w/ Zalty)**

 **Bardock vs Garlic Jr. (w/?)**

 **The next chapter will be longer and it is going to be big. This will likely be the second to last chapter of the arc. Then we get to a filler chapter before starting Phantom Lord. Some interesting dialogue will be in store for the audience once Bardock meets Jose face to face.**

 **Review section is open to anything and everything.**

 **Thank you to my fellow authors and readers for the continued support. You guys are awesome! (I don't say it enough lol)**

 **See ya later!**


	17. Clash Under Moonlight

**A/N: Mic check one, two! Mic check one, two!**

 **(*Author clears throat*)**

 **Ladies and Gentlemen!**

 **Welcome back for another chapter of The Lost Warrior!**

 **(*Crowd cheers*, *Author hypes the crowd*)**

 **Now, some of you have been waiting eagerly for the next chapter to begin. You've been dying to see a heavyweight bout am I right?**

 **(*Crowd cheers again*)**

 **Don't worry… I have just the thing.**

 **Tonight we have a doubleheader. That's right folks! Back to Back main event matches that are sure to rock the house!**

 **(*Crowd cheers*, *Stadium shakes and quakes*)**

 **Our first match is between the former students of the famous Ice mage known as Ur.**

 **(*Points to Blue Corner*)**

 **In this corner!**

 **We have a young man who used to have a bit of a smoking addiction! He's known as the coldest man in Fairy Tail and is also a habitual stripper! Water mages come to him like white on rice and has a mean left hook! He is the one… the only… Gray Fullbuster!**

 **(*Gray's picture pops up*, *Women lose their minds*)**

 **Easy ladies. There's a certain mage from Phantom Lord that wouldn't take to kindly to that. If you want proof, pay close attention to the weather.**

 **(*Points to Red Corner*)**

 **In this corner!**

 **We have the man who would dub himself emperor! He's known for having an ego the size of Crocus and a somewhat awkward fashion sense! His favorite pastimes include trying to live up to his delusions of grandeur, reading books and trying to one-up Gray. He's Sherry's crush, the self-proclaimed successor to Ur… he is Lyon Vastia!**

 **(*Lyon's picture pops up*, *Women lose their minds again*)**

 **Now… without further ado…**

 **LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEE!**

 **(*Crowd roars*, *Author performs mic drop*)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Earlier with Team Natsu**

 **Approaching Temple Ruins**

 **Evening/Night**

"Think he'll be okay?" Lucy asked as she ran.

"You kidding me! Bardock's got this!" Natsu assured her.

"I know but…"

"Natsu's right Lucy."

Lucy looked over to see Erza running beside her, smiling with full confidence.

"He may be outnumbered but I believe in Bardock's strength. He's counting on us to do our part. Let's not disappoint." Erza asserted with full confidence.

Lucy smiled, mirroring Erza's confident expression. Gods above she loved this team!

"Right!"

Gray just focused ahead, not really caring for the pep talks going around. He was focused on beating Lyon and stopping Deliora's resurrection. Afterwards came helping the villagers with the curse if it wasn't broken already.

Almost as if some deity heard his thoughts, purple-ish colored shards rained from the sky.

"Huh?" Gray grunted as he looked up.

The rest of the team stopped and saw the shards coming down, harmlessly floating to the ground below before dissipating.

"Woah! Check it out!" Happy said in awe.

"What the heck is going on?" Natsu asked.

"I'm… not sure." Lucy replied, totally at a loss.

Erza on the other hand had a very strong suspicion as to what just happened. Her deduction skills were hard at work once she met the villagers and interviewed them. She didn't bother approaching village chief Moka, given he was hysterical and bit looney. But those who worked with the chief a lot were able to provide a lot of valuable information. That information came in handy now that she got an idea of what exactly was the curse that afflicted the villagers.

Erza looked to the sky with a smile.

( _"Whether you know it or not, you probably just broke the curse. Good work Bardock."_ )

"It seems half the job is done now." Erza mused aloud.

"Huh?" Lucy responded, turning to look at Erza curiously.

Erza shook her head at the unspoken question.

"Don't worry Lucy. I'll explain after we're done with the fighting."

"Okay… if you're sure."

Erza's face shifted from reassurance to determination. She looked over to Natsu and Gray.

"Lead the way boys. We don't have much time." She told them.

Natsu and Gray shared a glance before nodding. Natsu took off with Gray following and the girls along with Happy coming up the rear.

As the team was nearing the temple shockwaves sounded off above the island. They all knew Bardock was an intense battle against four worthy opponents. But there was nothing they could do except hold up their part of the bargain by fighting their designated targets.

Once they reached the temple, they spotted a broken down wall.

"This is close to where we were last time." Lucy said.

"I smell something you guys." Natsu notified as he tensed up.

Just then many of the robed individuals from before popped up from the ruins and the jungle. These were the same men and women who were performing the Moon Drip ritual but with Lyon's team down they were nothing but cannon fodder.

"Are these the ones performing the ritual?" Erza asked as she summoned a sword.

"Yeah." Gray replied.

"Then that's all I need to know."

Erza immediately leapt forward summoning two swords and quickly dispatching foes left and right. Lyon's followers wasted no time rushing forward to meet Erza's preemptive strike head on. As Natsu and Gray were ready to rush in, Lucy stopped them by stepping in their path.

"You guys go find Lyon and end this. Happy and I will back up Erza." Lucy said with newfound determination.

"Say what?!" Happy responded wide-eyed.

"Whoa, you sure Luce?" Natsu queried.

Happy gawked at Natsu for ignoring the fact their teammate voluntold him to back her up. Lucy could hear the seriousness and undertone of concern lacing Natsu's voice. She looked over her shoulder as she had her whip in one hand and a celestial key in the other. The smile she sent to Natsu visibly eased any concerns he had.

"You can count on me to watch her back Natsu. And I'll be fine too." She assured him.

Natsu then smiled with full confidence and determination. He really did pick the right partner for the team. He then gave Lucy a nod and glanced towards Happy.

"Sorry bud, but me and Gray got a skee-daddle. We got a bad guy to fight. Think you can watch over Lucy and Erza for me?"

Happy recovered from his stupor quickly and responded with a beaming smile and a salute of his paw.

"Aye sir!"

Natsu sent a wordless thank you to his furry companion before turning to Gray.

"Let's go end this ya ice freak show."

"Shut up and follow me ash for brains." Gray retorted with an eye roll.

The duo took off down the dirt path. With a newfound sense of urgency and vigor knowing that their friends were fighting as hard as they could, the rivals put aside any petty insults and banter to focus on the fight ahead of them.

* * *

 **Within the Temple**

 **Tomb of Deliora (Cave of the Demon)**

The cloaked form of Garlic Jr. stared at the frozen form of Deliora with anticipation and mischief. Streams of energy flowed through the air towards the ice, a malicious and sickening aura surrounding all the incoming streams. The Makyan demon glanced over his shoulder, getting a sense of the ongoing battles.

Lyon's followers, the one in robes, would be no match against the Fairy Queen or the Blonde ditz that followed the Dragon boy around. They were outmatched, outclassed and had very little to none fighting experience. He would honestly be surprised if they lasted longer than five minutes.

Lyon himself would be in for a tough time against the Salamander and the other apprentice of the late Ice Wizard Ur. But Garlic Jr. could handle these threats with ease.

The one battle that gave him the most concern was the lone Saiyan warrior against his four remaining men, the best men he could assemble that were leagues above Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho. But compared to a Saiyan warrior such as Bardock…

( _"If they can manage to weaken him all the better. I have my doubts of them actually being fully capable of a victory against someone like Bardock."_ ) Garlic Jr. pondered.

The imp extended his hands out, Ki and Magic flowing from his hands as he began the one of the last phases of his plan.

( _"Spice's arrogance will be the end of him if he's not careful. But it is of no concern to me."_ )

"Soon, Deliora will be in my possession. And once that foolish boy realizes what I've done, it will be too late." Garlic Jr. said to himself with an evil grin.

The dark being then began to cackle as the energy flow began to accumulate. Deep within the ice, Deliora slowly but assuredly was being brought back from the brink of death. A steady glow of red filled the once lifeless eyes of the etherious as a great blanket of dark power converged.

* * *

 **Floors above**

Zalty sat on his floating orb while Lyon stood by in the vacant chamber, one of many throughout the temple.

"Zalty…"

"Yes Lord Reitei?"

Lyon crossed his arms and impatiently tapped his foot as his eyes narrowed. Something was wrong since all the chaos started. Between losing his team and Garlic Jr.'s men getting picked off like flies, a new feeling of anxiety and dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

"We will be having guests soon won't we?"

Before Zalty could form a reply, a layer of ice coated one of the walls before exploding. Bursting through the ruined wall was Natsu and Gray. Natsu landed on his feet in a ready stance while grinning. Gray on the other hand had his hands up ready to fight; glaring at someone he once called a brother.

"Lyon…" He growled.

Lyon, although visibly irked, smirked. At long last he could finally prove himself the superior Ice wizard, Ur's true successor… and Gray's superior.

"It's been quite some time Gray. I figured you would crawl out of whatever hole and have the guts to face me eventually. But now of all times?" Lyon mocked with wide spread arms.

"I've come to stop you Lyon. And luckily for me, I didn't come alone." Gray retorted.

"You tell em popsicle!" Natsu cheered as his fists lit on fire.

Gray just smirked in response while Lyon clicked his tongue. Zalty merely chuckled as he floated to Lyon's side.

Lyon of course argued that Zalty should be keeping an eye on Garlic Jr. hoping the imp would keep his word in order to aid in Lyon's ascension. But Zalty was adamant about staying as far away from Garlic Jr. as possible. Zalty even dare say that Garlic Jr. was untrustworthy. Lyon understood to an extent. Given Garlic Jr.'s secretive behavior but Lyon held out some faith that Garlic Jr.'s machinations would eventually help the benefits outweigh the risks involved.

"I'll handle the Dragon Slayer my Lord. No need to sully your hands on someone not worth your time." Zalty said.

The comment infuriated said Dragon Slayer while Lyon thought about it for a moment. He had heard numerous stories about Fairy Tail's Salamander as well as the Queen of the Fairies herself. It was almost as if some god was chomping at the bit to bless Lyon before seeing battle and possible bloodshed. But of course, Lyon had his sights set on the bigger picture. He needed to ascend to greater heights and he couldn't worry about the small stepping stones in his way.

"Go ahead Zalty. I see no harm in you taking care of the annoyance." Lyon said with a smirk.

Both Fairy Tail mages immediately shifted their stances as they eyed their opponent. This next fight was going to be big. And the stakes couldn't be any higher…

 **Gray vs Lyon: Last Man Standing**

Natsu was immediately knocked back with a crystal ball to the sternum, sending the teen into a nearby wall. Gray knew Natsu could hold his own so he rushed off to his own fight.

Gray started off with a vicious right cross to Lyon's face, sending the teen down to the ground. Lyon's eyes grew wide with outrage as he shot to his feet and lashed out with his magic.

" **Ice-Make Eagle!** "

Gray recoiled in shock as he did his best to dodge a barrage of ice sculpted eagles. Fairy Tail's resident ice wizard performed a series a flips before coming to a stop and sprinting. He then spotted a downed pillar, thinking it could be useful. As he went for cover behind a downed pillar, Gray felt himself getting angry.

( _"He's betrayed Ur's teachings! He's using maker magic with one hand!"_ ) Gray thought.

Gray jumped over the pillar, ready to initiate a counter when all of a sudden…

" **Ice-Make Wolf!** "

Gray immediately dropped and rolled right to avoid an ice made wolf trying to bite. He got up to one knee before finding himself being bitten by another ice wolf on his leg. Gray would have responded had he not heard the barks and growls of more ice wolves. Not willing to take this beating lying down, Gray brought his hands together to form a hammer. He shook off the ice wolf biting his leg before swinging at it full force and destroying it. The rest of the pack converged on Gray and luckily enough the ice mage managed to take out 4 of them in one swing. In a low arc shot, Gray's hammer connected with one wolf before it became a domino effect. Hammer still in place, with a wolf on it, Gray caught three more ice wolves before sending them into a wall. Gray dispelled the hammer and turned his attention to five more ice wolves. This wasn't going to be easy by any means…

Meanwhile, Natsu was dodging a crystal ball while also trying to get to Zalty, who had made things difficult for the Dragon Slayer. The fight started off with Zalty sending a few petty insults Natsu's way, riling up the Dragon Slayer. Natsu reacted predictably and attacked almost the instant another insult left Zalty's mouth. Upon breaking the crystal ball, Zalty feigned indignation and anger, giving Natsu the false hope the fight got easier. He was proven wrong an instant later when the same crystal ball he destroyed impacted the back of his head. Since that point, Zalty revealed he dabbled in a bit of telekinesis… as well as the lost magic **Arc of Time**. But the words were lost on Natsu, who was simply trying to win.

"Face it Dragon Slayer, you won't beat me. You might as well give up." Zalty taunted.

Natsu bared his teeth as he stood tall, not showing any worse for wear but definitely was annoyed.

"You kiddin'? I'm a member of Fairy Tail and last I checked we never back down!" Natsu retorted.

The salmon haired teen settled into a stance, eyeing Zalty while channeling his power and utilizing his senses.

"Ain't no way in hell I'm losing this fight you weird smelling freak!"

Zalty again was on the offensive, using the crystal ball to hit Natsu at various angles, only for said teen to dodge. The entire chamber was a playground as well as a battleground. Natsu was doing his best to maximize all this space to his advantage. So in order to find the opening he was looking for, Natsu just dodged or destroyed the crystal ball without using too much magic. He wanted to save a good attack for when he got up close and personal.

Back with Gray, the ice mage of Fairy Tail traded hand to hand blows with Lyon, gaining the upper hand after Lyon sent a series of magic attacks against. But despite gaining some ground, Gray was starting to feel a bit winded given the small nicks and scratches he received. Plus Gray was pretty sure, some of those attacks hurt him far more than he let on.

Lyon tried hitting Gray with a jab, only for Gray to dodge before gripping the outstretched arm and flipping Lyon hard on his back. Not wanting Lyon to get any sort of break, Gray gripped Lyon's arm a little harder before using his strength to swing Lyon around several times before releasing him and watching the self-proclaimed cold emperor slam into an ice covered wall, leaving an imprint.

Gray slid back into a stance, breathing a bit heavier than when the fight started. Nearby, Natsu and Zalty's fight had reached a stalemate, leaving Natsu to just glare at his opponent while in a fighting stance.

Lyon slowly got to his feet, an enraged scowl showing on his face. He wiped some blood and spit off his lip with the back of his hand before letting said hand fall to the side. With a clenched fist, magic gathered in Lyon's hands. Zalty smirked as his crystal ball floated above his palm.

Both Natsu and Gray bared their teeth and narrowed their eyes. Looks like their opponents really wanted them to work for their victory.

* * *

 **Outside the Temple**

Erza parried another weak slash attempt from one of Lyon's followers. Lucy on the other hand kicked one follower while whipping several more in a nicely put together combo. Happy of course was cheering from the air or cheering from a tree branch, depending if he was conserving magic or not.

The fight against Lyon's followers was one sided. Although Erza started with a great ferocity, she calmed herself a bit after gauging the group of opponents her and Lucy were facing. Not only were they out of practice if they were magic users, their combat skills were sorely lacking.

As she settled into a stance next to Lucy, Erza continued to stare down the rather persistent group of foes.

( _"They are rather persistent, I'll give them that much."_ )

Erza narrowed her eyes and shifted her feet some more.

( _"Which begs the question, do they know when to surrender or not?"_ )

"Man, these guys don't know when to quit!" Lucy commented, a tad bit alarmed.

Erza was going to reply until she heard some commotion to her right. Both she and Lucy looked over and the sight they saw took them by surprise. Apparently, one of the robed individuals was lying unconscious on top of several of his fellow cult members (are they a cult though?). Several feet away with an extended left fist was a scowling and very irritated Bardock who was showing the toll his fight left on him. The Saiyan Rebel let his fist drop to his side before turning his attention towards Lucy and Erza.

"Bardock!" Lucy exclaimed.

The Saiyan Rebel levitated over to the duo, just as Happy joined them from his perch.

"Yeah." The Saiyan simply responded.

Now that the trio of Lucy, Erza and Happy saw him up close, they couldn't help but grimace at his condition. The arm sleeve covering the Fairy Tail mark on his left was gone. The right hip pad was heavily damaged with half of it being missing. The armor of course had noticeable cracks in it as well as a couple of holes in the torso. Lastly there was a rip in the tights on the right thigh. But what really got their attention was the blood and bruises.

"Bardock are you okay?" Happy asked sadly.

The Saiyan Rebel glanced over at the team mascot. He felt a tad bit touched they cared about him but he brushed it off. Now was not the time for this.

"I can still fight fur ball. It'll take more than a bunch of cheap shots and some numbers to stop me." He responded gruffly.

He crossed his arms and a flash of discomfort flashed over his visage. The trio of Fairy Tail wizards couldn't help but look on in concern. But unknown to the trio, one of Lyon's followers was sneaking up on them while the rest were closely edging forward ready to pounce. Sensing this and getting irritated rather quickly, Bardock bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes.

( _"Fucking morons… I can sense them coming a mile away."_ ) He thought while doing a mental eye roll.

"I'm sick and tired of this bullshit already…" Bardock cursed under his breath.

The others looked at him confusedly for the comment. Without warning he turned around and shot a powerful **Kiai** towards one of the shortest robed individuals in the crowd, knocking him and several others over. As soon as Bardock dropped his outstretched hand…

"They must be some kind of stupid to think they can get the drop on us." Bardock commented.

Erza quickly caught on to his words and her eyes narrowed perceptively as her senses alerted her to her enemies.

" **Requip!** "

Going into her **Heaven's Wheel** armor, Erza had a sword in each hand… as well as dozens aimed at her opponents. All of Lyon's followers paled beneath their hoods and knew that they had been in over their heads. Some were scared stiff on their feet, others dropped to their knees while the rest fell right on their ass. It was quite the sight.

Bardock walked over to the group he knocked over and held out a hand with a primed Ki orb.

"Anyone else want to 'try' and beat us? By all means stand the hell up and come get some." Bardock taunted with a snarl.

Lucy and Happy in the midst of it all couldn't help but look back and forth between their guildmates. The blonde let out a nervous chuckle at how intimidating the duo could be.

"That's Erza and Bardock for ya!" Happy commented.

"No kidding… Next time Natsu asks for me to go on a mission with him, remind me to stay at home for a while." Lucy added with a sweatdrop.

Bardock on the other hand let the Ki orb grow. He wasn't going to pointlessly kill someone so weak. But he did need to send a message across that he was not to be trifled with. The short man, he assumed was male, was on his knees being assisted by the others.

"So what's it gonna be?" Bardock offered.

The robed male gave a visible sigh. He honestly was getting too old for this. He had his own reasons for joining this insanity in the first place. But whatever spilled down the rumor mill about the man in front of them… if that were true…

( _"This honestly has gone too far… I was only here to keep my family safe…"_ ) the elderly man thought.

In the crowd two figures, having statures shorter than the rest, moved forward at a fast pace. In a matter of seconds they were both out in front of the elderly man, arms outstretched.

"S-Stop it!" the girl exclaimed.

"Don't hurt our grandpa!" the boy yelled out.

Bardock raised a brow at this display. Not only did these kids have guts but it seemed he found the right person to single out with intimidation tactics. Erza, Lucy and Happy couldn't help but gape at the situation though.

Bardock gauged that the girl wasn't any older than 10 years old while the boy was likely 12 or 13 years of age. The trio of people they were in front of included not only their grandpa but seemingly both the kids' parents. The male and female helped the senior member of their family to his feet, all three of them had their hoods off like their children.

Bardock dispelled the Ki orb and brought his arms across his chest. All of Lyon's followers congregated around the small family that had almost drawn the Saiyan's wrath. Erza had changed back to the armor she usually wore as she, Lucy and Happy walked over to where Bardock was.

The couple had escorted the senior member of their family to the front. The kids of course ran to their grandfather with looks of worry. The elderly man simply waved them off with a kind smile. He then directed his attention to the man who was the cause of the group's surrender.

"Don't mind my grandchildren young man. They're simply trying a protect an old man who loves his family enough to join them in this endeavor." The old man stated.

Bardock simply scoffed and let his senses do some work for him. He felt out Gray and Natsu's unique energy signatures. Meanwhile he kept his ears open to whatever dumb excuse the old man would spit out. Lucy, Erza and Happy gazed around at all of the people in the robes. They were all so normal under the hood but their emotions were as clear as day. Anger. Frustration. Bitterness. Sadness.

It was quite the depressing sight to see.

"I guess I should ask the obvious… why?" Erza queried breaking the few seconds of silence.

The old man sighed while his family looked at their feet in sadness and shame.

"Lord Reitei and his subordinates weren't the only ones wronged by Deliora. We all have lost family and friends to that monster." The old man summarized solemnly.

Lucy gasped and held a hand over her mouth while Erza recoiled in surprise.

At this point Bardock tuned them out when he felt a spike in Natsu's energy… a slight drop in Gray's… and the startling increase of power underneath the temple. There were three other energies he picked up in what he deduced was a ball of chaos.

( _"Natsu… Gray… Ultear… some random punk who should be beaten by now…"_ ) he listed off.

Bardock's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the temple. The one being he was looking for was in that very temple.

( _"Garlic Jr."_ )

While Bardock had his eyes set on the temple, the trio of Fairy Tail members listened to the various stories and backgrounds the old man had learned of during his time under Lyon.

According to the old man, his son and daughter-in-law each lost several cousins as well as brothers and sisters to Deliora's rampage several years ago. Most of the people that had joined Lyon had similar stories. Spouses lost in acts of bravery and self-sacrifice, mothers and fathers killed while fleeing, siblings simply caught up in the chaos and destruction… the list went on. Very few joined for the petty reasons of lost businesses or fortune. But it was a group bound by tragedy and Lyon took full advantage in order to boost his own ego. The realization sickened the Fairy Tail group, no more than Bardock himself.

The Saiyan Rebel wanted no more to go and show this Lyon guy the true meaning of cruelty. But given the way he sensed the fight going on inside the temple, he figured to leave it to Gray and Natsu.

* * *

 **The Temple**

Things had taken a dramatic turn in the fight amongst the four wizards…

Natsu had gotten sick of being toyed by his opponent so he found a quick remedy to the situation he was stuck in. Getting in a crouched stance, Natsu eyed Zalty with critical eyes. His timing needed to be just right or he would be back at square one.

"Give up yet young Dragneel?" Zalty questioned with a mocking smile.

"As if." Natsu snorted.

Drawing a deep breath and increasing his magic output, Natsu decided to go for his signature move.

" **Fire Dragon's Roar!** "

As a torrent of flames shot from Natsu's mouth, Zalty failed to notice flames igniting beneath Natsu's feet. Zalty avoided the torrent of flames only to realize a second or two later that the attack was a diversion from what Natsu wanted to truly do. Too little, too late. In a flash, Natsu smashed Zalty's face as well as Zalty's mask with an empowered **Fire Dragon's Flaming Elbow**. The sheer momentum of Natsu's attack sent the now unmasked Zalty through one of the walls and crashing somewhere outside. Natsu landed on the floor with a grin and a puff of smoke from his nostrils. Although annoying to deal with, Natsu beat his opponent.

One down, one to go.

Gray gave Lyon a vicious headbutt that would make his guild mates proud. Head snapping forward, Lyon yelped in pain and staggered back. Gray hopped back, ignoring the slight pain his head is feeling.

" **Ice-Make Lance!** "

Gray's attack flew forwards and struck Lyon multiple times, sending the silver haired teen to his right knee. Lyon stood back to his feet, scowling at Gray, but said raven haired teen came at him again.

Gray let loose a combo of jabs and hooks that had Lyon reeling. After 10 hits connected, Gray planted one foot on Lyon's chest before flipping and using the other foot to connect on Lyon's chin.

After finishing his attack, Gray landed on his feet before standing upright and getting his hands up in a stance, ready for another go. Lyon on the other hand took a moment to spit some blood off to the side after being knocked on his ass. Lyon was beyond livid that Gray was actually beating him. He knew somehow he got inside of his old friend's head with the way he was performing as well as the taunts.

"Get up Lyon. I want to keep kicking your sorry ass all over this temple until you finally see some reason." Gray said.

Lyon for his part growled and shot to his feet. The nerve! Him see reason?

"You're delusional Gray! Me see reason?! I've never seen more clearly! **Ice-Make Dragon!** " Lyon retorted.

Gray uttered a curse as he began running. Several ice dragons converged on Gray's running form. As Gray was pivoting, making turns, Lyon formed a smirk.

"You would never understand Gray. Ur was never the strongest wizard we knew. For all her power, she truly and was utterly weak." Lyon spat.

"How could you say something like that?! She raised us-"

Gray was interrupted when he dodged one of Lyon's dragons last second, the ice made beast destroying itself as soon as it hit the wall Gray got himself cornered in. Gray continued moving though, there were several dragons left and he had to outlast Lyon at all costs. This was a fight only for him to finish. He sure as hell wasn't going to leave it to Natsu, as capable as he was.

"Ur was practically like my aunt and second mom! She gave me enough when I had lost it all! And you!"

A dragon managed to snag Gray by his side while the others attached themselves to his limbs. Though he received a good amount of damage, Gray did his best not to cry out from the pain. He gritted his teeth and looked at Lyon with a type of loathing that dulled any physical pain.

"You're willing to taint her sacrifice! To taint her victory! And for what?!" Gray roared.

The dragons carried the seething mage into the ground, creating a cloud of dust and a crater in his wake. Lyon for his part had long since regained his composure and strolled over to where he sent his former friend. Nearby Natsu watched in anticipation and slight anxiety. His fists clenched at his sides, eager to help Gray prove a point to Lyon via the right way… a nice sucker punch to the face. But alas this was Gray's fight and his alone.

Lyon watched as Gray once again rose to his feet, slightly hunched over and panting. Lyon grew irritated with Gray's persistence and had long since had it with the raven haired teen's incessant prattling.

"You betrayed her and her memory for doing all this. And for throwing your years away… for throwing lives away for the sake of your cause… I pity you." Gray finished with labored breath.

Lyon walked at a fast pace towards Gray's position. Gray was unable to defend himself from a very painful experience. All Gray could hear next was the hard impact of ice on flesh and his name being yelled out from Natsu. Gray looked down to see that he was stabbed with an ice made cutlass. His right hand slowly grasped Lyon's left wrist.

"You're so soft and naïve Gray. It honestly sickens me. You should have left that trash you call your ideals back at whatever home you made." Lyon said with condescension and scorn.

Gray looked up slowly and glared fiercely at the young man who he had once called brother. This had to end.

A significant shift in magic and temperature had alerted both Lyon and Natsu. The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but smirk proudly at Gray's tenacity even when wounded.

Gray let his left fist fly, sending Lyon flying back yet again. All those fights with Natsu paid off when a serious fight actually happens. But the Ice mage of Fairy Tail didn't have time to think on this. Lyon's ice cutlass dissipated into nothingness as Gray used his own ice to close up the stab wound, one of many wounds he has sustained no matter how big or small.

" **Ice-Make Tiger!** "

Gray stood in anticipation, knowing he was going to have to settle this in a way that would make his late teacher proud. As the ice tiger neared, Gray poured magic into his hands before leaping high into the air and bringing them together.

" **Ice-Make Cage!** "

An icy prison erected itself, trapping Lyon's creation within. Gray landed on the roof of his cage in a kneeling position, looking down at Lyon with fierce determination and a glare so cold it could freeze the island ten times over.

Lyon just scoffed and extended his hand.

"Fool. Your feeble constructs doesn't hold against my superiority. There is a reason why my maker magic will always trump yours." Lyon stated haughtily.

Natsu for his part grinned a wide grin as Lyon's tiger tried to break out, key word being 'tried'.

"What?! Impossible!" Lyon recoiled in surprise and shock.

Natsu began laughing his ass off, which annoyed Lyon. The silver haired teen turned towards Natsu, enraged that the Dragon Slayer found this part of the fight so rousing.

"What are you laughing at you dolt?!" Lyon yelled.

Natsu calmed down for a moment but kept his wide grin. He crossed his arms and looked at Lyon a bit smugly.

"Gray's told me once what he has been trying to tell you for the last few minutes now. Maker magic isn't supposed to be used with one hand." Natsu explained.

"Otherwise you get this mess. Your creations end up being unstable and not effective in a fight. One of Ur's teachings to us Lyon, something you felt you were better off without." Gray added on.

Lyon took a step back, trying to deny it all. It couldn't end like this! Not when he had come so close.

"It's over Lyon. You've used a good amount of magic and on top of that you can't beat me. And even if you did, you'd lose to Natsu in a heartbeat." Gray declared as he stood up slowly.

Lyon didn't want to admit but the battle had taken its toll on him. Not only that, his magic reserves were indeed down a considerable amount. And of course Gray had exploited a weakness Lyon had long thought to be a forgotten memory. Did he really come so far only for his dream to be denied? Was this really the end of the line? He had come so far!

"It can't end like this…!" Lyon growled through clenched teeth.

Before Gray or Natsu could contemplate a reply, the temple began to shake. Dust, debris and loose bricks began to fall. Both Fairy Tail mages looked around with slightly wide eyed looks. They had the sinking feeling something bad was about to happen. Lyon on the other hand turned the opposite direction of both mages and looked to where one of the tunnels lead.

"Is this Garlic Jr.'s doing? Has he finished his part of the plan?" Lyon questioned aloud with narrowed eyes.

Natsu caught his words and stared at him in shock. His head snapped towards Gray.

"Gray! We have to go! That Garlic Jr. guy is close to bringing that demon back!" Natsu shouted.

Gray's head snapped over and the despair on his face said it all to Natsu. Natsu for his part just looked to the ground cursing loudly.

It seemed time was just about to run out for all of them…

 **Fight Over!**

* * *

 **Outside the Temple**

"What's going on?!" Lucy cried out.

The blonde was clearly alarmed as was everyone else minus Erza and Bardock of course. But the redhead was nervous while the Saiyan was downright focused like a laser. He had uncrossed his arms, faced the direction of the temple and stood unmoving.

Lyon's followers were panicking, all stumbling around trying to find an anchor to hold on to until the tremors stopped. The old man and his family gathered around each other, seeking solidarity as well as a way to protect each other from harm.

"All is lost… our efforts were never needed…" The old man uttered softly.

* * *

 **Villager Camp**

Back at the village, Chief Moka was still ranting about the destruction of the moon. The rest of his people on the other hand had other ideas and were starting to panic. In the tent containing Lyon's personal vanguard of mages, they couldn't help the sense of foreboding and dread wash over them.

Sherry looked over to her near uni-browed companion with fear and concern written all over her.

"Yuka…?" she whispered.

She saw him furl his brows together, face scrunched up in a grimace. Deep down he knew this wasn't something they wanted… that anyone wanted.

"They were too late…" Yuka uttered.

* * *

 **Outside the Temple**

Bardock knew they were working on borrowed time at this point. He bared his teeth as he prepared himself for what hopefully would be the final fight. He glanced over his shoulder at Erza as the tremors decided to subside a bit.

"Stay here! I'm ending this!" He declared.

Not waiting for an answer, Bardock flared his now blue aura and bust forward from the spot at a high speed. The blowback and high winds that resulted from the Saiyan's takeoff made Erza bring up both arms to protect her eyes from the dust and Lucy bring up just one arm while the other held Happy.

When the dust settled, the trio of Fairy Tail members shared worried looks. It looks like this crisis on Galuna was coming to ahead… and not in the best way.

* * *

 **The Temple**

Bardock burst through the opening Natsu and Gray came in earlier just in time to witness Lyon getting beat down with a series of melee and magic attacks. He hovered for a bit, ignoring Gray's handing out an ass kicking and Natsu's shocked expression as he was pinpointing the source of vile energy that he had picked up earlier.

His eyes scanned around the random chamber the mages had picked as a battleground. He glanced towards a spot in particular. It was a tunnel that led to other parts of the temple. But then he changed the direction of his glance and his eyes went straight to the floor. It was a good thing that part of the floor was frozen, otherwise he would have to worry about Natsu and Gray falling dozens of feet below to whatever was beneath the temple.

( _"There."_ )

Aura still ignited, Bardock flew down with both fists extended. He made his way through easily, finding out that the chasm that he was going down was easily passable without the excess amount of rocks and debris. Once he reached the bottom he halted for a split second before letting his arms go back to his sides as he flew down a long tunnel. But at the speed he was going it wouldn't take him long to see whatever light was at the end. The trip took under 15 seconds.

By the time the Saiyan Rebel had past the threshold, he arrived to the sight of two things before slowly landing on the ground. The first thing his slightly widened eyes found was the demon that had tormented Gray's past and the pasts of so many others. Only this demon was very much alive if the glowing red eyes were anything to go by. The second thing he noticed was the short figure who stood in front of Deliora with his blue hands extended. The figure was the same being who had been a part of the chaos and even added to it. This was very same being who Bardock suspected had some sort of connection to his son.

"Garlic Jr." Bardock announced.

The impish creature hummed in slight confusion. He was so absorbed in completing the plan that he momentarily didn't sense the Saiyan's approach. He chuckled a little as his hands slowly dropped to his sides.

"Well then… it appears I've been cornered."

He turned around and brought down his hood, letting his pointy ears show… along with the slightly enlarged, blue cranium he calls his head. Bardock simply stood several meters away glaring at the last Makyan on Galuna.

"And yes. It is I, Garlic Jr. I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time Bardock." The demonic being said.

The Saiyan Rebel scoffed disbelievingly at the notion. He knew that Garlic Jr.'s men wanted to capture him and possibly risk disobeying orders and kill him too. But what was their boss' motive? What was his line of thinking?

"Given the way your men greeted me I have my doubts. But given that their dead and I need answers, I figured you could answer some questions before I end your little scheme." Bardock told the imp.

Garlic Jr. just grinned a toothy, unsettling grin after hearing those words. He got the impression that his men went outside their orders… he didn't know who or how many of the seven men he brought with him did so. But it didn't matter at the moment. There was a reason they were his minions and he was the boss. And there was a reason he survived and they ultimately didn't.

"Fair is fair. You've made it this far so I don't mind indulging you a bit in some answers. After all, your hard work should be rewarded." Garlic Jr said.

Bardock narrowed his eyes at the response he was given.

( _"Little bastard is definitely going to die slowly…"_ ) He thought darkly.

"You see…"

Garlic Jr. gestured to Deliora with one hand while not taking his eyes off Bardock.

"Deliora is merely a disposable pawn in a much larger game. For you and I both know that even if this demon were at full strength, he'd be no match for either of us." Garlic Jr. began.

Bardock simply rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

"But you on the other hand are different. My employer has taken much interest in you and your unique skills. She sought myself and all my men out in order to aid her in her plans. But you are not the end goal I'm afraid." Garlic Jr. further explained.

"Then what's the whole point of this then? How do you know about me anyways? And just how the hell do you and your dead men know my son?" Bardock angrily rattled off.

Garlic Jr.'s grin fell away to a bitter scowl. Bardock saw this and felt the shift in the imp's energy. No doubt that he touched a nerve. The Makyan's cloak started to shift as he was beginning to increase his power.

"Your role in my employer's plan is of no concern to me and I honestly don't care to reveal it to you. All you need to know is that she requires your skills and your power. You will end up being nothing more than a hired gun and a puppet." He began.

Bardock growled and his fists clenched tightly turning his knuckles white. He damn near drew blood with the way his nails were digging into his palm. He really hated that he and other Saiyans were seen as nothing but thugs and muscle to be used and tossed to the wayside. It got on his nerves in the worst way.

"My men and I have crossed paths with Goku and his pathetic friends before. The Namekian, the bald one and… ah yes…"

An aura instantly ignited and engulfed Garlic Jr.'s form. Looks like the time for talk was coming to an end. And Bardock was unhappy about that. He slipped into his fighting stance and glared ahead at his final opponent. He had fought his fair share of Makyans before back in his days of serving Frieza. But he had never met an opponent like Garlic Jr. before.

"That meddlesome brat with a tail, your grandson."

That fanged smirk came back before Garlic Jr. started cackling again. Without warning he shot forward at Bardock kicking him in the stomach and catching him off guard. Using his size to his advantage, the impish demon propelled himself off of Bardock's person before deciding to levitate in the air.

The hit had stung. That part didn't bother the Saiyan Rebel. What bothered him was the fact that Garlic Jr. was trying to rile him up or just toy with him. Shaking off the hit, Bardock glared up at Garlic Jr. before igniting his aura and flying up. Only problem was Garlic Jr. was rather faster than he appeared and it helped the Makyan that he was so small in stature.

Thrusting his hand forward for a punch, Bardock only found air as Garlic Jr. had dodged before throwing a small Ki blast in Bardock's face. Another cackle resounded through the cavern as Garlic Jr. made the fight into a game of tag. Bardock on the other hand wasn't having any of it.

"Get over here you fucking runt!" Bardock yelled enraged.

"You'll have to try harder than that if you actually want to catch me!" Garlic Jr. mocked.

Increasing his power, Bardock zoomed in catching the Makyan by surprise before Garlic Jr. started to dodge a little more frantically than before. The Makyan had backtracked towards a wall before dodging another punch where Bardock's fist had now embedded itself in the wall. The Saiyan ripped his fist out of the rock and snarled before giving chase again. Once he caught up to his oppoennt he was throwing every punch he knew, only seeing Garlic Jr. dodge and weave, doing his utmost to not get hit. After 15 seconds of this, Bardock threw another punch, let Garlic Jr. dodge as before… and then hit the Makyan demon with a kick to the gut using his right leg. The hit sent Garlic Jr. bouncing off of the cave wall before Bardock came zoning right back in for left cross across the face.

Not giving his opponent a chance to run away, Bardock started hammering away on Garlic Jr.'s face and torso. Each punch was raw power and pure strength that had pinned Garlic Jr. into the nearest wall in the cave. The punches increased in intensity, so much so that a crater formed and Garlic Jr.'s form was starting to look unrecognizable. After 45 seconds of using Garlic Jr. as a punching back, Bardock flew back before priming a Ki orb in his right hand.

Gripping his right forearm with his left hand, Bardock bared his teeth as he fired a Ki Blast into Garlic Jr.'s prone form. Smoke and debris kicked up from the resulting explosion. Even though the attack seemed successful, Bardock hovered in the air for a moment, staying alert to any sudden movements.

( _"Ain't no way you're done for. That fight was too easy and you know it…"_ ) Bardock thought as he waited for some sort of response.

On cue, a Ki blast shot from the smoke, Bardock moved his body right and watched as the blast hit the other side of the cave. He turned his attention back to the crater and narrowed his eyes. Looks like his hunch was right… that fight ending so soon would have been too easy.

Emerging from the smoke was a smirking Garlic Jr., who shockingly enough was fully healed while sporting tattered clothes. The two stared at each other as Bardock was trying to figure out just how Garlic Jr. healed up so quickly.

( _"Something is definitely off about this guy. He healed up fast after all my attacks. How though?"_ )

"Only one way to find out…" he said under his breath.

Bardock lifted a hand and clenched it into a tight fist as Ki flowed around it. In his previous bouts against Makyans, including Garlic Jr.'s lackeys, he had never seen their kind regenerate or heal beyond normal levels. Sure they had some degree of resiliency but that was it. Makyans were equated to Space Vampires, always trying to take over worlds and enslave others. Luckily Frieza sent some the best of his main army along with several Saiyans to quell the ambitions of any Makyan who dared get greedy. Bardock got firsthand experience on one of those missions and made the most of it.

Back to the battle…

Bardock raced forward at high speed before firmly planting a Ki enhanced fist through Garlic Jr.'s gut. It was a bloody spectacle to behold as Bardock hovered in the air with a small corpse stuck to his forearm. But even Bardock suspected that this wasn't the end.

As he stared at the body on his forearm, Bardock's eyes widened a great degree as his senses were picking up something… coming from the front and the rear. He violently ripped his arm out of Garlic Jr.'s body and flew back, conveniently getting between the Makyan and the awakening Etherious behind him.

Garlic Jr.'s form slowly lowered down to the Cave floor before standing upright. Bardock's attuned senses picked up the sound of laughter that eventually erupted into a full blown cackle. The Saiyan glared down at what was supposed to be a corpse. Instead Garlic Jr. was mocking him with laughter and the hidden talent of high speed regeneration. Or at least that was the Saiyan's hunch.

After calming down for a bit, Garlic Jr. gazed up at Bardock with a manic look in his eyes. Even the Saiyan knew from that look that the Makyan was willing to divulge his secret as to how he survived a fatal blow he just received.

"Funny… I've fought plenty of your kind before. Yet the last time I checked, Makyans don't have high speed regeneration." Bardock commented.

Garlic Jr. chuckled before his aura erupted and surrounded him. This power that Bardock had been feeling in this fight… it was the aura of death, chaos and an evil, a true evil that he hadn't felt since Frieza.

"You would be right. But then again I'm no ordinary Makyan like the lesser ones you fought." Garlic Jr. retorted.

Bardock scoffed as Garlic Jr. gestured something with outspread arms.

"You see, my high speed regeneration is a result of something far greater. The gift of immortality!" The Makyan exclaimed.

What?!

Bardock recoiled in shock and surprise at the declaration. But then he narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Bullshit." Bardock growled in response.

Garlic Jr. merely cackled in response as his aura grew and his powers shifted even more. Then the wind picked up and the intensity had Bardock blocking his eyes with his uncovered arm.

"Let me tell you my tale Bardock… then you can truly decide whether or not I'm telling the truth when I show you my true power."

* * *

 **Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.**

" _It began long ago…"_

 _The home world of the Makyans, Makyo Star comes to view._

" _Before you Saiyans encountered our kind, we were conquerors in our own right. Powerful beings who did as we pleased across the stars."_

 _Violent images of shadows and forms come to view. Rape, pillage, slaughter and greed…_

" _In time my father, Garlic, had come in his own right as one of the strongest Makyans to ever live."_

 _An imposing figure with glowing green eyes stands in the forefront. His features aren't clear but his presence and aura speaks for itself. Surrounding the figure is an army loyal only to him._

" _Many years ago, at the height of my father's powers, he was sent to a small little planet called Earth on a mission of conquest."_

 _What looked like a shooting star was racing towards a beautiful world, lush with blue and green._

* * *

 **Back to the Cave**

Bardock's eyes widened as he recognized the name of the planet. It was the very same planet he had sent his son to. Garlic Jr. nodded as his enemy made the connection.

"Yes… the exact same world you're thinking of." Garlic Jr. confirmed.

* * *

 **Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.**

" _While there he encountered the Guardian of Earth, a Namekian whose power rivaled my father's."_

 _Two figures stood meters apart. They slipped into fighting stances before rushing at each other._

" _The two obviously never saw eye to eye. My father wanted the world and the Namekian was trying to protect it from him and all other invaders. It was a situation where no one could win if a compromise wasn't reached."_

 _The figures fight… and the fight… and they fight…_

" _Eventually my father and his most loyal soldiers followed him into combat in a quest to take the throne and title as Guardian of Earth. But it backfired…"_

 _The Namekian had taken down each of Garlic's men before defeating the main Makyan himself in combat._

" _In the end, my father and any survivors from what troops he had left were sealed away within a special little corner of darkness called the Dead Zone."_

* * *

 **The Cave**

"Dead Zone?" Bardock parroted in confusion.

"A dimensional prison reserved for only the most vilest of creatures. Makyans, Acrosians, Tuffle, Martians, Humans and of course Demons. There were rumors of Saiyans running about as well but I never saw one myself or even heard of a Saiyan before meeting your son and his brat." Garlic Jr. explained.

Bardock seemed surprised as he heard Tuffles being named on the list. But he quickly shook off the surprise and asked something for clarification.

"Is the Dead Zone hell itself or something separate?"

Garlic Jr. grinned wider before continuing his tale.

* * *

 **Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.**

" _The Dead Zone is a prison but it isn't Hell itself."_

 _Picture pans out to show a wasteland, filled with destroyed buildings and withered pieces of nature. No natural animals lived here, they were all rather odd looking. Like a rabbit with fangs and the antlers of a dear. Or a bear with a horn and wings._

 _Several lifeforms of different aspects of violence and evil all migrated across the landscape within the Dead Zone._

" _The Dead Zone was for those condemned for evil and villainy. A perfect place for where my father eventually met my mother, a demon banished for cruelty and lewd behavior."_

 _A male and female figure stood amongst the masses._

" _They loved each other as much as a Demon and Makyan could anyways."_

 _In whatever counted as the most evil nursery possible, inside the crib was Garlic Jr., the infant._

" _Eventually I was born and after many years, I grew to be a strong, benevolent warrior like my father."_

 _Garlic Jr. stands alongside several beings, including some that would become his most dedicated soldiers and subordinates._

" _My father would one day grow tired and ill. On his deathbed he asked for me to do what he ultimately couldn't…"_

* * *

 **The Cave**

"So you found your way to Earth somehow." Bardock deduced.

Garlic Jr. nodded and he figured he conclude his story before the real fight began.

* * *

 **Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.**

" _Eventually I found my way to Earth and began my plan for domination of the world and taking the title of Guardian as my father had once tried."_

 _A portal appears and from it emerges Garlic Jr. along with Ginger, Nicky and Sansho._

 _What ensues is the attempted assassination of Piccolo…_

 _Gohan's kidnapping as well as Chi-Chi getting caught in the crossfire…_

 _Garlic Jr.'s wish for immortality fulfilled by Shenron…_

 _Goku, Krillin and Piccolo teaming up to defeat Garlic Jr.'s minions…_

 _Garlic Jr.'s narrow defeat at the hands of Gohan's intervention, the little demi-Saiyan using some of his hidden potential for one of the first few times without formal training…_

* * *

 **The Cave**

"And after all that I was found by my employer and released from the Dead Zone. My once dead men were returned to me and I gained reinforcements as well." Garlic Jr. concluded.

Bardock just nodded numbly. He took a moment to glance over his shoulder briefly at Deliora before returning his gaze to Garlic Jr. Without warning though, Garlic Jr.'s form started to change before his very eyes. Bardock immediately ignited his aura and powered up to his max. He still had plenty of energy but some of his strength had taken a hit during the earlier fight with the Spice Boys.

Bardock watched with morbid curiosity and a bit of trepidation as the little gremlin that was his opponent slowly but surely hulked out. The clothes the Makyan was wearing stretched to their max before exploding into shreds. In roughly a minute, Garlic Jr.'s skin was now a darker hue, his muscles overgrown and the only thing he wore now were dark colored pants that were torn up near his calves and knees.

Garlic Jr. stood in a sloppy stance, grinning at Bardock before racing up to meet his Saiyan opponent head on. Bardock did the same and as the two met, their forearms collided. Both snarled viciously as it was now a battle of strength and power. This was the real fight.

Both fighters backed off, hovering in the air before Deliora, who was watching the fight with interest as it awaited its imminent release.

The fighters re-engaged and collided in a furious flurry of punches and kicks. Bardock of course was amazed that the Makyan could pitch in attacks at a high rate but even to the untrained eye, Garlic Jr. was using sloppy form. Bardock figured that the Makyan was relying on brute force and speed rather than actual technique to win him the day.

The trading of blows continued on for several minutes, see-sawing across the cave. It wasn't until Bardock managed to dodge a punch to the head before lashing out with a kick to Garlic Jr.'s head in return that slowed the momentum of the fight. The Makyan's head snapped back before he snarled and threw a punch. Bardock managed to bring both arms in time to block the punch but the sheer force behind it sent him flying. The Saiyan Rebel's body managed to clip some of the ice holding Deliora before his body was lodged in a cave wall.

Bardock climbed out the hole slowly, shook his head before glaring at his opponent. He ignited his aura and shot forward with a fist cocked back, roaring with fury. Garlic Jr. sidestepped an attempt at a punch before being hit with a blast by the hand Bardock didn't try to punch him with.

Annoyed more than anything, Garlic Jr. started throwing punches that Bardock was dodging at a high rate. But the Saiyan's battered body took a few shots. Bardock of course winced as his body took more damage. In the middle of Garlic Jr.'s barrage, Bardock stopped and bared his teeth. He took the moment to get in a break in Garlic Jr.'s defenses. The Saiyan Rebel started hammering away at Garlic Jr's torso, catching the Makyan off guard with the sheer ferocity of the blows.

This continued on for a bit until Garlic Jr. snarled and began gathering energy on his torso. When he began doing this, Bardock quickly backed off as his senses were picking up the buildup of energy. The Makyan then unleashed his move, **Death Impact** and the Saiyan Rebel made quick haste in avoiding the beam. Bardock flew around the cave as Garlic Jr. cackled while trying to hit his intended target. The beam ended up hitting various parts of the cave as well as knocking more ice of off Deliora. Hell, the beam even managed to pierce through the upper levels of the temple.

After wasting a good amount of energy trying to hit his opponent, Garlic Jr. slowly extinguished his beam. Bardock hovered a good distance away from the Makyan he once made fun of for his height.

"This fight is getting us nowhere Bardock. You only delay the inevitable by not simply submitting to me." Garlic Jr. said with a grin.

"Screw that. I'm kicking your ass and ending that demon over there once I'm done with you. Even immortals can be beat and I'm about to prove it to you." Bardock retorted with confidence.

Garlic Jr. cackled in response to the Saiyan's response. He had not had so much fun in quite some time and since Goku, the Makyan had yet to find a worthy opponent. But now he had the chance to exact revenge in some form while having a worthy fight.

( _"But all good things must come to an end… Deliora is ready to receive his new master."_ ) He thought while calming down.

Without warning Garlic Jr. used his **Darkness Eye Beam** to successfully stun Bardock. Not letting up, Garlic Jr. rushed in and hit Bardock with a haymaker to the head, sending the Saiyan crashing down to the cave floor. Bardock groaned as he slowly sat up from within the small crater his body had made. His senses suddenly flared in warning before being overcome by pain from numerous amounts of energy raining down on him. Garlic Jr. had employed the use of **Continuous Energy Bullets** to pin the Saiyan Rebel and to keep him from coming up for a reprieve. To Bardock it felt like forever until he was blasted continuously to the point rocks and debris were starting gather around and on his body. The barrage lasted maybe 30 seconds. Garlic Jr. admired his handiwork with a sinister grin, seeing Bardock unconscious and buried beneath rubble.

The Makyan wasted little time turning towards Deliora and hovering close to where the now uncovered torso was.

"It's time for the last phase of my glorious plan to begin…"

Garlic Jr. then slowly began to laugh as his arm touched Deliora's torso. The laughing then grew to a cackle as sparks of malevolent energy shot all over the cave, causing pieces of the cave and even some pieces of the temple to rain down. But the Makyan didn't care about the cave in. Oh no… he was more focused on the fact that Deliora was now accepting him as master and soon to be puppeteer. Inch by inch, Garlic Jr.'s form seeming melted into Deliora's skin and the process lasted for only a minute or so before the Makyan was nowhere to be found.

Deliora's eyes then lit up and what ice remained around its body shattered instantly.

The Demon was making its return to the living…

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

 **Villager Camp**

The Fairy Tail group and the victims of Deliora had decided to retreat and regroup at the Villager Camp.

When Natsu made a hasty exit with a wounded Gray and unconscious Lyon in tow, any questions Erza, Lucy and Happy wanted to ask could wait. They had more pressing concerns… like the fact Deliora would be coming back at any time now.

The rush back to where the villagers had set up a temporary refuge, lacked much communication. If there was any at all it came in the form of Lyon's former followers trying to calm down those who were a bit panicked and on edge.

Now though, everyone was gathered at the makeshift entrance to the camp, which included Lyon's former followers, Lyon's personal guard of mages (who had been released at Erza's request), the villagers and Fairy Tail's strongest team.

Chief Moka had been held back for obvious reasons, but when both sides met the villagers eyed the robed individuals with wariness and distrust. In the best explanation Erza could give she was able to summarize why so many people had gathered on the island. The villagers were enraged of course at hearing the news that these outsiders wanted to bring back something as vile and destructive as Deilora. But they had softened their scolding when they heard why all these people had done what they did. It still didn't make the situation any better.

Erza also capitalized and explained how the curse that all the villagers had suffered from simply turned them human in the day time while also distorting their memory. All the villagers had realized this and thanked the Fairy Tail group for breaking the curse. The team had of course mentioned that they were happy to help and refused the credit vaguely mentioning it was someone else who wasn't with them at the moment.

And when the matters of the reward came up, Erza refused the monetary part but did accept the Celestial Spirit Key on Lucy's behalf. Even Erza for all her strictness saw that Lucy could make greater use of the key than the villagers or herself. It would honestly be a shame for such a powerful ally to not be with the likes of Fairy Tail.

After all was said and done, the Fairy Tail mages simply waited with everyone else, anticipating Bardock's return… or worse yet Deliora.

"I'm telling you we need to head back Erza! There's no way Bardock stopped Garlic Jr. from bringing that demon back!" Gray argued.

"And even then, Bardock is perfectly capable of handling both Deliora and this Garlic Jr. person. We have to have faith that he found a way to beat them both." Erza smoothly countered.

It had been roughly 10 minutes since they up and left the temple grounds. Or was it 15 minutes? Or 20 minutes?

There had been rumblings and explosions but for several minutes now things had just stopped. Smoke was coming from the temple but there were no signs of either of the combatants or even the demon that had everyone on edge.

Natsu, Lucy and Happy stood off to the side to guard Lyon while Yuka, Toby and Sherry opted to stay with them as well as the victims of Deliora.

"You better be right… because if not-"

"I know."

Gray bit back a curse and spit off to the side. He hated being so useless in this situation. After his fight with Lyon, the female villagers had fussed over him and his injured state. He was uncomfortable of course with all the attention but relented. His torso was now wrapped in bandages, same with his head and arms. There was small holes and tears in his pants but other than that he was in decent shape.

Natsu had his arms crossed as he looked a little nervous and pensive. There was still no word from Bardock. Happy sat on a boulder eating a fish while Lucy kept him company. The Celestial mage looked between her three senior teammates with concern. Although they eased the villagers' worries somewhat, their own concerns were pressing.

Worryingly, Lucy looked over at Natsu, instantly wanting to converse a little to ease the tension. She placed a gentle hand on his left shoulder, drawing the Dragon Slayer's attention.

"What do you think is keeping him?" she asked.

Natsu stared at her a moment before looking over at his other teammates. His faced twisted into a look of frustration. Although his new friend had dumped some heavy things on them in terms of information, he accepted him more freely than Gray did. That said, a man of his caliber shouldn't have been gone this long.

"I honestly don't know. But he's fine. I know he was the only one who could face Garlic Jr. and beat him."

Then he looked at her again with a determined and confident look on his face. In her heart and mind, she was put at immediate ease by how steadfast Natsu could be. And how awesome it was that he had such faith in his friends.

"Plus there's no way some half dead demon is gonna take him down. Lullaby may have been chump change compared to Deliora but Bardock makes them both small." He assured her.

"You're right about that but still…" she trailed off.

"You're all wasting your time."

Natsu and Lucy looked over there shoulder at their beaten opponent who had been tied up in ropes. His comrades were off to the side, hoping to avoid a tongue lashing again after they had 'reunited' several minutes prior. Yuka looked at him while Toby continued to comfort Sherry who was downtrodden at letting Lyon down.

Gray looked up at him from the rock he sat on several meters away. Erza spared the ice mage a glance, not willing to turn her body away from the direction of the temple.

"It should be me facing Deliora right now. And Garlic Jr., knowing what I do now of course." Lyon told them.

They could all tell he was being a sore loser about this. Plus there were too many deep seeded personal issues concerning his past and his ego to also consider.

"Shaddup will ya? You lost and we won. Get over yourself already." Natsu shot back somewhat lazily.

"And you tainted the sacrifice your master made to protect you. I thought she meant a lot to you Lyon. How could you do something to dishonor her memory like that?" Lucy responded with a slight glare.

Lyon just narrowed his eyes and scoffed off to the side. The rest of Lucy's teammates was going to let it go. Natsu didn't fight him but he backed up Gray when Gray was trying to get through to Lyon with both his fists and his words. Erza didn't need to do a thing after tying the mage up herself. She was honestly disgusted with his actions but she was relieved to know he didn't kill anyone. But Lucy… no way would she let this go.

She took a step towards the ice mage but Natsu quickly took hold of her wrist that had taken its place off his shoulder. She leveled a challenging stare over to her partner who met her gaze head on. He shook his head softly, communicating a silent message for her not to press the issue. She relented slowly and crossed her arms beneath her bosom. As much as she wanted to lash out at the ice mage for his callousness, it wasn't entirely her place to do so. Natsu knew this too plus he figured that Lyon had enough verbal lashings from today to last a lifetime.

Things went back to silence for a few moments before a tremor rocked the land. The camp buzzed with activity as off in the distance an explosion went off without warning. The mages that had been at the camp entrance covered their eyes for a moment before looking off in the distance… and seeing a large smoke plume along with an eruption of flames in the distance.

Something had gone terribly wrong…

Although they were enemies at one point, Yuka, Toby and Sherry all joined Fairy Tail's strongest group, spread out in their own stances. Happy was slightly behind Lucy's leg as she took her place next to Natsu. Lyon had managed to stand and was simply hunched over as he hung back in the rear. Though he had learned his lesson, the spirit of defiance was still there. There was no way he was leaving his 'team' and his former opponents to do what he was meant to do.

They collectively waited a moment while the villagers and victims of Deliora had fallen back into the safety of the camp. Although most had hidden themselves away in the buildings, the braver ones stayed outside to provide any support to the mages they could while also providing security for the non-combatants. Everyone waited with bated breath before another explosion went off in the distance, more fires springing in its wake.

Natsu kept his eyes forward before some tingling sensation in the back of his skull told him to look up. His eyes picked up something small in the night sky, the moon providing the necessary illumination to alert to him that something was incoming.

"Heads up!" He alerted everyone.

Everyone's eyes snapped towards the sky and immediately panicked filled their very being. Natsu quickly grabbed Lucy and Happy before setting the standard for what everyone else should be doing… getting the fuck out of dodge.

The mages had all leaped away from what was the impact zone for a new threat. As soon as said threat made its landing, Natsu had hugged both Lucy and Happy close to his body in order to give them protection. Everyone else simply covered their heads and eyes. When the dust settled, everyone opened their eyes and were ready to greet their new arrival in force. But whatever they had in mind wouldn't matter.

Everyone immediately paled, eyes widening and bodies frozen in place. Even Natsu couldn't help but be shocked and a bit fearful at what he was seeing. Standing there in all its fearsome glory was a newly resurrected Deliora. The demon's skin had darkened a bit, its eyes glowed an ominous blood red, horns on the head lengthened and there were veins across the demon's body that bulged in a way that seemed unnatural.

But what got the Dragon Slayer's attention as well as everyone else's was what was protruding from Deliora's torso. Although his appearance had changed, his scent had not. Looking down on the mages from what was considered to be a comfortable perch was…

"Garlic Jr.?!" Lyon yelled out enraged.

Said Makyan cackled in response. The only visible part of him that the mages could see were his torso and his head. The rest of his body had connected to Deliora's internals as a way to control the demon. All the magic and Ki he funneled into the demon was paying off. He could squash anyone who dared stand against him. But he wanted to savor this moment. He was going to brag about his plan to Lyon, kill him before slaughtering everyone else and then… watch Bardock drown in despair at the results of the slaughter.

The Makyan peered down at the mages, who had recovered somewhat from his grand entrance.

"What is the meaning of this? You tricked me!" Lyon continued, visibly seething.

Garlic Jr. grinned a grin that unsettled everyone but the angry ice mage. He was enjoying this moment to the fullest.

"And? You were the one that fell for it. If you should be angry at anyone it should be yourself you rotten brat." Garlic Jr. responded.

Lyon felt a vein bulge in his forehead before he used his magic to break out of his restraints. The others glanced at him quickly before returning their attention to the demon. They all understood why Lyon was angry, if they were in his shoes they would be too.

"You believed my sob story even not even a shred of it was true. Your advisor had every right to advise you on how to deal with me. I was never trustworthy and to be honest I enjoyed every moment of taking your so called destiny away minute by minute."

Lyon's eyes widened before he slowly let his head tilt down so he could glare at the ground. His fists were clenched and an icy mist gathered in both of them. Sherry looked over at Lyon in concern while everyone else kept their eyes on Garlic Jr., waiting for him to make his move instead of watching the guy gloat. But villains and their egos…

"And best part was you weren't even the main mission. Taking your dreams away, tormenting all these people, that was an added bonus for me!" He ended with a cackle.

Lyon fell to his knees, gritting his teeth as he scowled at the dirt. It was bad enough that this whole journey to prove himself had been nothing but a waste in the end. Gray was right. That blonde was right. Salamander was right. He had disgraced himself, tainted Ur's sacrifice and worst of all signed the death warrants of everyone on the island and possibly the world. And all for what?

Sherry knelt by Lyon's side and placed a hand on his shoulder to offer some sort of comfort. He accepted it without a visible reaction and Sherry was thankful her crush didn't shrug her off.

"Hey you pointy eared bastard! Where's Bardock?" Natsu growled as he shifted into a ready stance.

Garlic Jr. stopped his cackle to look over at the salmon haired teen. He continued grinning before forming a response.

"Oh don't worry about him. He's indisposed at the moment. I want him to see the results about what I'm about to do to all of you and those rodents who are hiding behind you." He replied with a sinister glint in his eyes.

" **Requip!** "

A light shined in the midst of the group. Erza had changed armors again, this time instead of **Heaven's Wheel** , the scarlet haired teen opted for her **Black Wing** armor. The female swordsman got into a fighting stance, sending a defiant and frosty glare towards the Makyan. Natsu let his hands burst aflame while Gray got into his stance.

"You won't lay a hand on the villagers you fiend! This is as far as you go!" Erza roared.

Garlic Jr. was about to deliver a very powerful retort… when all of a sudden a boulder impacted his back. Deliora's form stumbled forward slightly, taking the mages by surprise and of course Garlic Jr. as well. He made Deliora turn its body slightly towards the disturbance.

"What the hell…!" Garlic Jr. shouted.

Seconds after he looked back in the direction of the temple, the eyes of Deliora caught something in the sky. A figure had eclipsed the moon and was coming down at a rapid pace. A furry fist impacted the side of Deliora's face before the demon was promptly kicked in the sternum. The kick was powerful enough to send Deliora flying before the demon carrying its puppet master had fell to the dirt, skidding along the way.

Deliora's large form slowly rose from the ground and Garlic Jr. was trying to shake the discomfort he was feeling at the moment. After getting his bearings, Garlic Jr. opened his eyes to glare at the person or thing that interrupted his moment of triumph. What he saw shocked him and would stick with the immortal for so long he lived.

"What?!"

 **Great Ape Bardock vs Garlic Jr (Fused with Deliora)**

 **[Start "Voices"]**

The mages looked on in awe and slight fear at the large creature that stood before them. But when everyone did a double take they were able to recognize the creature wore the same clothing as a certain warrior with palm tree hair.

The leg sleeves on the boots had light damage to them, there were a few small tears in the tights while the torso armor had obviously seen better days. The right hip protector was damn near gone while only half of the left one remained. But the clothes weren't the only thing that got everyone's attention.

The beast had a tail, brown fur covering most of its bodies and red eyes with no pupils. Judging by its posture and its stance… this beast was an ally, an angry one at that.

The Great Ape let out a tremendous roar, clenched fists at its sides. Before anyone could dare comment on the sudden events, Great Ape Bardock crouched before soaring across the jungle towards an unsuspecting Garlic Jr./Deliora, who had numbly climbed to his feet.

Thus began the clash of titans…

Bardock used his cocked back fist to send Garlic Jr./Deliora back in the direction of the temple, making the pair fall once more. Bardock landed on his feet before letting out another roar. He glared over at the demonic pair, challenging them to get up.

Garlic Jr./Deliora slowly clambered to their feet again, the flames from the results of their combined power at their back along with the ruins of the temple. Behind Bardock was the undisturbed grounds where his team and everyone else was. Garlic Jr. glared furiously at the Great Ape. He had been taking by surprise by another meddlesome monkey, only this time it was someone older and more powerful than last time.

( _"No! No! No! No! This was supposed to be my moment of triumph! My moment to exert my power and continue with my plans but now…!"_ ) He thought with increasing rage.

"Damn you! Why won't you just die!" The Makyan yelled.

Deliora prepped an energy beam, a favorite from its past seeing how it was the 'Demon of Destruction'. Instead of leveling the landscape like it usually would, the demon's master ordered Deliora to fire the beam directly at Bardock. A beam of power went straight for Bardock, who had raised his arms up to block the attack, burning away his other arm sleeve but not harming him in the slightest. However the attack did push him back a few dozen feet before the attack detonated, causing a large cloud to envelop the Ape's form.

Letting his fury and relentlessness all out, Bardock brought his arms back down before charging forward. Garlic Jr./Deliora was once again blindsided by a punch, an uppercut this time that took the pair off their feet for a moment. Bardock then continued releasing his anger by getting the Garlic Jr./Deliora with a left cross before getting them again with a right hook in succession. Bardock traded off between utilizing crosses, jabs and hooks for several seconds before leaping up in the air and bringing his hands together. Bardock then performed an ax handle smash on top of Deliora's head that had left the demon and its master delirious.

Giving the pair no time to recover, Bardock performed a flip kick that sent his fused opponents soaring high into the sky before they fell back down to earth in the most ungraceful way. Bardock growled, not bothering to rattle off insults or waste his breath. Immortal or not, Garlic Jr. needed to fall and Deliora needed to rest in pieces like a good little (not so little) etherious.

Garlic Jr./Deliora stood once again and this time they were on the offensive. The pair rushed forward before locking hands with Bardock. Garlic Jr. felt he should have been able to push Bardock back and he was able to. However, something in Garlic Jr.'s subconscious was warning him. That warning was too little too late…

Bardock had baited Garlic Jr. into pushing him back a small distance before the Saiyan reared his head back and delivered a vicious head-butt to Deliora's cranium. The Saiyan followed through by hopping in the air and delivering a drop kick to Deliora's torso. The pain doubled for both the Etherious demon and its master as they let go of both of Bardock's hands. They stumbled back a bit as Bardock landed on his feet once more.

But the pair managed to get in a good attack when Bardock had let his guard down for a split second. While trying to regain their footing, Deliora's hand fired off a blast at Bardock's torso. The sheer force sent Bardock flying back towards where the mages and civilians were. He crashed back first with a pained grunt. It seemed whatever injuries he sustained from earlier were giving him slight issues.

( _"Damn him. I need to end this. Now."_ ) Bardock growled internally.

The Great Ape ignored whatever noise was coming from behind him. His focus was on one thing and one thing only… Winning this fight.

Bardock rose to his feet slowly, while doing so he could hear Garlic Jr. cackling across the island. It seemed he was using Ki and magic to amplify his voice.

"Fool! You have no idea the power of an immortal! Screw that witch and screw the mission! I'm going to enjoy killing you!" The Makyan declared maniacally.

Bardock shifted his feet, feeling a surge of power build within his being. It was an all or nothing attack that was going to have a devastating impact on the landscape and his opponent. Garlic Jr. had his puppet prep another energy beam, this time one that was bigger than the one before. It seems Garlic Jr. was pouring a lot of power into this one if what Bardock sensed was true.

Bardock's eyes lit up a moment before he reared his back and brought it back forward… unleashing a powerful mouth beam in the direction of Garlic Jr./Deliora. The pair had fired off their own beam with the belief that their own attack would maybe match and overpower whatever Bardock was trying to do. But to their everlasting horror, the beam held for only a few seconds before being swallowed by Bardock's own beam.

The beam impacted Garlic Jr./Deliora, swallowing both up and carrying them off the island before an explosion detonated miles off the island shore. As Deliora's body started to distentigrate, Garlic Jr.'s body had weakened and he could feel his power draining. Despite being immortal, he still had the glaring weakness of Ki reserves that weren't limitless.

"Curse you, you filthy monkey! I will kill you and Goku! Mark my words! You haven't seen the last of-"

As he was close to being left in a weakened state, a portal appeared and whisked him away. Deliora's body was soon nothing but ashes. The Demon of Destruction was truly no more.

Bardock ceased his beam, smoke billowing from his mouth before looked to the sky and the moon. He let out a thunderous roar of triumph, declaring to the world he had truly arrived.

( _"Who's next?"_ ) He thought while grinning internally.

 **[End Playback]**

 **Fight Over! Bardock Wins!**

As Bardock continued to roar on into the night, everyone who had witnessed the clash were stupefied. Lyon was on his knees looking on in stunned silence while Sherry held onto his arm. Yuka stood side by side with Toby, both sharing gob smacked expressions.

"And this is what we could have fought? I'm honest to any deity happy that he's with Fairy Tail." Yuka commented.

Toby could only nod numbly and hum in agreement.

Gray let his hands hang uselessly by his side. He took a deep breath before exhaling and looking to the starry sky. He had somber smile on his face as he had finally seen to day where his personal issues could be laid to rest somewhat.

( _"Thank you for everything Ur. We did it. We finally won when it mattered most. I miss you teacher and I can't express how it feels to finally be free of that demon."_ )

Gray took a moment to exhale again before closing his eyes.

"It's over…" he murmured softly.

Natsu and Erza stood side by side proudly smiling at Bardock's showing of power and tenacious win. Lucy had hugged Happy to her chest and both were cheering to their hearts content at how the crisis had finally ended.

"I knew he could do it! That was freaking amazing! I'm so gonna ask him how he turned all monkey on us when he gets back!" He declared with a giddy smile.

Erza let out a light chuckle at Natsu's statement. Her little brother could be such a child at times but that's just one of the many things she never wanted to change about him. The knight looked on at Bardock as he continued to roar triumphantly into the night.

( _"Well done Bardock."_ ) She thought fondly.

* * *

 **Elsewhere on Galuna**

She was lucky to escape the temple grounds when she could. Her disguise was useless thanks to Natsu Dragneel. But then she used every trick in her book to monitor any events on Galuna before leaving. Though she made the right decision staying, it had been difficult for her to maintain any bearing or composure to what she just witnessed. Garlic Jr. had outright used both her and Lyon to his own ends. It infuriated her that she allowed the brat to overrule her but she couldn't overstep her bounds since she was just an 'advisor'.

Anyways, when she witnessed the clash between Garlic Jr. and Bardock (who she assumed transformed into the Ape), she was left in a state of awe. Never before had she seen power of that magnitude since her own master. Hell, she would even dare say the clash went beyond the powers of her master. Of course though, she would never say that out loud.

She sat on a tree branch, legs swinging freely as she had both arms on top of her crystal ball. Her chin was propped up by one of her hands as she looked on with an appreciative and almost fond look at the beast who had come out of the bout victorious. She allowed herself a true smile before closing her eyes. Although this mission didn't turn out the way she hoped she still got something out of it. And it was all thanks to one man.

"You really are something else Bardock…"

* * *

 **A/N: And done!**

 **Voices by Disturbed**

 **You know how DBZ sometimes transitions its episodes and such? Like how certain things happen at the end of one episode and things occur differently in the beginning of the next? Happened with this chapter when Team Natsu went to the temple.**

 **Also, apologies for the long wait but I am back in the game.**

 **To summarize my absence, I found work and had to do some stuff, didn't have access to my laptop until December 2019, and when I finally started writing again it took me a month of procrastination and distraction to finally finish a majority of this chapter.**

 **Will I be updating my other story? Yes I will.**

 **Will I be posting new stories? Yes and Maybe. Lol (It's complicated right now so sue me)**

 **Anyways, to recap Bardock unleashed his Great Ape form, Gray beat Lyon, Lucy got a key and everything is going swell. Next chapter ends the Galuna Island arc. The chapter after the next one will be the filler chapter leading into the Phantom War Arc.**

 **Honestly, this chapter will likely be revised at a later date but I'm satisfied with how it turned out considering I haven't touched it in a while. I've been reading stories on the sight but just haven't touched my own unless it was to review my material and see what adjustments I could make.**

 **Anyways, you know the drill. Recommend the story, favorite it, follow it, review it. You guys are awesome as always and I'm glad to be back. Time to ring in the new year and new decade right.**

 **See ya later!**


	18. Questions, Answers and Celebrations

**A/N: Hi there!**

 **Glad to see the reviews that came in. I know I made you guys wait but I appreciate your patience, not just with this story but the others as well. Know that my job keeps me busy but I still make sure to make time and do stories. One for my creativity to be satisfied and two because I like writing these stories so you guys can enjoy them. Plus my inner fanboy needs to be let out.**

 **Not much to say other than let's start the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Location Unknown**

…

 **Age: Unknown**

"You really disappoint me Garlic… even after all that negotiating and bargaining you still had the nerves to disobey orders."

The shriveled up form of Garlic Jr. was on his knees of the pristine floor. Surrounding him were several beings hidden away in the shadows. Their leader and her second in command looked down at him while they went on about their business.

"B-But I nearly completed the mission?! Not only that I help give you the energy you needed surely you could-"

The Makyan was cut off as the female figure made a 'tsk' of disappointment.

"Now that just won't do at all." She responded.

A beam from the figure standing next the female illuminated the room before piercing Garlic Jr. in the heart. Even with his powers as an immortal he was weakened to a great extent by the battle he had just been 'rescued' from.

The shriveled up, depowered form of the Makyan fell back, face frozen in horror as he had slipped into unconsciousness. Proof of Garlic Jr. no longer being coherent came in the form of his eyes now lacking pupils. Two figures instantly appeared using high speed movement and were kneeling in between the fallen Garlic Jr. and his now former employer. She turned to her minions, a smirk on her beautiful visage.

"Take him to the labs. As of now, his immortality will serve an alternate use. After that, report back so I can give you your next assignment." She instructed.

The figures nodded and complied silently before disappearing and reappearing, flanking Garlic Jr.'s sides. They picked up the immortal by his arms before leaving the room in a flash. The male figure next to the leader, crossed his arms before inquiring about the next step in their grand plan.

"He failed his mission but still succeeded in helping us. How long before I can send the next batch of troops to face Bardock?" He asked.

"Patience dear. We are still on schedule and this little setback won't hurt us in the long run." She replied.

The leader busied herself with some work on the table in front of her while her subordinates awaited the unspoken signal to leave.

"Besides, you did want a proper fight and you just might get one out of him. When the time is right, we'll make our move and you can fight to your heart's content." She promised.

After a curt nod in response, the second in command teleported out of the room, along with everyone else. Looks like things were heating up for this mysterious band of villains…

* * *

 **Galuna Island**

 **Villager Camp**

 **Nighttime**

They had done it.

Come hell or high water, Fairy Tail's strongest team had successfully completed their mission on Galuna.

They had beaten Lyon and his team of mages, broke the curse on the island (technically it was Bardock) and saved a lot of lives. Of course though that wasn't the end of it…

Bardock was the true hero, defeating Garlic Jr., the Makyans who followed their immortal leader and of course the resurrected Deliora. It was a spectacular showing of power and skill, something of which Earth Land hasn't seen in quite some time. But with everything said and done, what happens now?

Well…

Bardock, still in his Great Ape form, slowly walked back to where the Villager Camp was. As he approached, the Fairy Tail group had gathered up to greet him while Lyon and his team hung back off to the side. The villagers and Deliora's former victims, all exited their hiding places, albeit reluctantly, to see there savior regardless of how monstrous he seemed.

Roughly a minute or so later, Bardock had reached the village. He crossed his arms as he peered down at where his fellow guild mates had gathered.

"Bardock you were amazing out there man! How did you transform into a monkey though? That was so cool!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

Bardock sweatdropped a bit as Natsu then launched into a play by play of the fight he just watched. The Ape then saw that Lucy was chuckling nervously while reprimanding Natsu a bit, Erza was hiding a smile and a snicker behind her hand, and Gray just sighed loudly with a small smile on his face. Happy of course was being his usual self and decided to imitate what his best friend was doing.

This continued on for a moment as a crowd gathered behind the mages. Bardock crossed his arms as his annoyance grew a bit… plus he was a bit tired after a fighting in a short span.

" **Natsu…** "

Said teenager stopped for a moment and stared up. Now thinking back on it… Bardock was a bit intimidating now that he turned into a furry giant.

" **Shut up will ya? I know how my fight went because I was there not that long ago. You don't have to repeat the same shit over and over again.** " Bardock reminded the teen.

Natsu froze for a moment and blinked a few times. He resumed a normal posture and started chuckling nervously while running a hand through his hair. The Fairy Tail group shared a collective laugh before calming down. Lucy walked over and took her place besides Natsu. She looked up at the giant ape with a curious yet relieved expression.

"Natsu does have a point though. You were amazing out there Bardock. How are you feeling by the way?" She asked.

Bardock gave his best impression of a snort by blowing smoke through his nostrils. He then narrowed his eyes a bit and glanced away. He was touched by the blonde's concern but he didn't need it. Not like he did anything to deserve it after revealing almost everything about him.

" **I'm fine. Tired but fine. Whatever they dished out will heal in a few days anyways.** " He replied.

And it was true. Transitioning to Great Ape helped Bardock out despite using up energy in order to win. He was tired but he could still walk around and do other things. Once day time hit he could revert back and go back to nights of not being out and about while the moon was up.

"That's good." Lucy said with a relieved smile.

Bardock hated the look he was getting and glanced away once more. The crowd behind the mages grew a little excited.

"Deliora has been destroyed!"

"It's a miracle!"

"Our village is safe and the curse is broken!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the Fairy Tail mages looked on with smiles. And although they were part of the villagers' issues, Toby, Sherry and Yuka smiled as well. Bardock himself rolled his eyes internally. He had done his part. Now it was time for him to leave. Before he could he felt two different energies on the island. One belonging to Ultear…

( _"So she stuck around huh? I wonder if she saw…"_ )

Bardock thought for a moment. He snorted internally before glancing over into the jungle and narrowing his eyes.

( _"She did. But given she wasn't here on Council business I think whatever understanding we come to will be enough."_ )

"I knew you mages could do it." A voice said.

Everyone turned to the new voice and were surprised to see someone just like the villagers emerged. Wearing a sleeveless shirt, pants, shoes and a cape was a dark colored man with spots all over his body and horns. He kind of resembled the devil in a way.

Bardock would have raised an eyebrow at this but then again he shouldn't be surprised. This world was wacky, weird and all kinds of not normal that he needed a decent drink.

( _"I think I might ask Cana what exactly she drinks. I could use whatever she's having right now."_ )

"It's the boat guy!" Happy exclaimed.

"He's alive?!" Gray shouted.

"Or is he…?" Lucy trailed off uncertainly.

Natsu just scratched his head in confusion. Erza looked on with a slight deadpan before sighing. Chief Moka had other ideas. The dwarf of a man, now confirmed demon (of the friendly variety), walked forward slowly, dropping his stick in the process.

"B-Bobo…"

The 'boat guy' as Happy dubbed him aka Bobo, knelt down and responded to his dad with a wide grin. His father now had tears coming down his cheek as he approached the demon man. The elder man tenderly touched his son's cheek and was making unusual sounds. He began weeping uncontrollably as he slowly embraced his son's form. Bobo just kept smiling, comforting his father as best he could.

Natsu looked on at the scene with a warm smile. He was surprised briefly as Lucy came to his side and took his hand into her own. He looked over with slightly widened eyes just to see Lucy looking at the scene with her own smile. She looked over to Natsu before beaming at him. He returned her smile before they both looked at the reunion of father and son. The rest of the team of course smiled on. The smiles spread throughout as villagers and victims of Deliora came together.

Bardock then watched as even more of 'the lost' emerged from the forest. Families were reunited and bridges were quickly being mended. Bobo then explained how when the curse came, people's memories were affected. After sharing stories and explanations everyone reveled in some peace and quiet for the first time in a few days. The Saiyan, still in Great Ape form, snorted or gave his best impression of a snort before deciding it was time to be alone. He had done his part.

As the Fairy Tail group made plans with everyone to party the night away, a quake in the earth made everyone know that the hero of the hour was on the move. Eyes suddenly went in Bardock's direction, as everyone watched the Saiyan in his current form walk off to the shoreline of the island.

"Hey Bardock! Where ya goin man? Stay and celebrate with us!" Natsu called out.

Although Bardock did indeed hear Natsu, he ignored him. He was stuck in Great Ape form until daylight came and it was in everyone's best interest that he kept to himself.

Natsu watched as Bardock continued on. The Dragon Slayer crossed his arms before getting a weird look on his face. Was he surprised? Not really. Disappointed? A little. Natsu had come to respect Bardock despite the alien's past. Even though some details were left out, Natsu got a decent reading on the man he had known a few weeks.

"Honestly, passing on a party and good food? The guy needs to wind down every now and then." Natsu commented aloud.

"Natsu, it shouldn't surprise us that he wants to be alone. Given what we know about him and how long we've known him, he seems like the type that wants some space." Lucy told him.

The blonde put a hand on his shoulder and gave a bright smile.

"Plus he's probably a bit tired after all that fighting. Let's give him time to rest up a bit 'kay?"

Natsu sighed before giving a smile and a nod. Lucy immediately seized his hand and tugged him along to the camp where everyone else was relocating to. Though they were both getting used to the intimate contact, both mages gained small blushes. They were enjoying this for reasons unknown to them and still couldn't help but be slightly embarrassed by it.

* * *

 **Sometime later**

The villagers had thrown a huge banquet. Instruments were out to provide music, the food was amazing and everyone seemed to forget their troubles from a few hours ago.

Natsu was in a food eating contest with Toby, Happy cheering on his adoptive dad while Lucy just stood by giving Natsu silent support. Lyon, Gray and Sherry were all at a table drinking and eating in comfortable silence. Though it looked like tensions were brewing at first glance, this was a sign of a reconnect between the former pupils of Ur. Much had been said and done between the two of them, so it was up to them and time itself to help mend old wounds.

Situated afar at their own table was Yuka and Erza. Both mages made for friendly conversation while also partaking in the party.

"So you were mentored by 'Iron Rock' Jura himself? Impressive."

Yuka nodded before taking another sip of his drink. Turns out, talking with Titania of all people wasn't bad.

"Yes and being in the same guild as him is a great honor as well. I hope to do him proud now that I've given up this foolish crusade. No more resurrecting demons for me thank you." Yuka jested.

Erza chuckled before glancing away and looking at everyone else. This was rather fun and a great way to unwind after a stressful past few days. Yuka also took the time to look at all the partygoers. Even the people who had been Deliora's victims were partying it up, interacting with the villagers while finding common ground. It was rather… great.

"I take it things are going well back with your guild?"

Erza glanced back at Yuka. The redhead took another sip before answering.

"Given our reputation I'm sure you would guess how we're doing right now. We're rowdy, rambunctious but we do care about each other. So to answer your question, things are going quite well."

"I see. I'm glad to hear that."

Erza smiled at that. She could tell the Wave magic user was genuine. Despite the not so noble intentions he had almost 24 hours ago, Yuka seemed like a decent guy.

"Though I am curious about something."

"Oh and what would that be?"

Yuka set his drink down before directing his gaze to Natsu, said Dragon Slayer celebrating his victory over Toby in the eating contest. Happy was showering Natsu with praise while Lucy just laughed nervously off to the side. Poor Toby's head was on the table, looking a little ill from overeating. Erza watched this interaction for a bit before glancing over to Yuka.

"Tell me Erza, I would think a job request of this magnitude would warrant an S-Class mage from the beginning. If that's the case, why did you arrive after your companions did? Surely they required a mage of your caliber for this particular mission. After all it isn't easy when it comes to curses or demons." Yuka wondered aloud.

Erza gained a sweat drop and face palmed with as much grace as possible. She muttered two words which only served to confuse the Wave magic user.

"Don't ask."

* * *

 **Beach**

Bardock's massive form sat on the beach, the same beach where he had killed one of Garlic Jr.'s men. The Saiyan Rebel took in the sound of ocean waves and the occasional animal or two. Bardock was also aware of the party going on back at the village. But the Saiyan didn't really care much at this point.

The Saiyan Rebel took the time to reflect on the fights he had endured up to this point. First coming to this world and having a quick match against Natsu. What followed after was Bardock's intro to Fairy Tail, Macao's rescue, receiving gifts from the mystery Saiyan and back to back impromptu missions against demons. And it was during all this Bardock fought a group of beings that seemed to be a part of something bigger.

( _"Garlic Jr. and his cronies were all a part of something much bigger. The only clues I have is that his boss was a 'she' and that 'she' needed me for something."_ ) Bardock pondered.

And if anything, Bardock had a hunch that whoever Garlic Jr.'s boss was, she had more powerful fighters at her disposal. This was the threat he was warned of. He knew he had to step up his training. Was it going to be difficult not having a proper sparring partner? Sure. But he would adapt. He could already tell that his body and power were adjusting, getting stronger from his experience these past few days.

( _"Bet his boss probably has an army at her disposal. I say bring it on. The more that fight me, the stronger I'll be in the end."_ )

As the Saiyan continued to contemplate his future in Earth Land, he felt a presence approaching. It was a presence had not felt since…

" **I didn't want to waste time looking for you. But then again, I had a feeling you might come to me instead.** "

The feminine figure smirked as she stood several yards away. The Saiyan turned his head and his fierce stare looked at the form of a woman who had caused a lot of trouble.

" **So… why are you here Ultear?** "

Standing in a white kimono, with one sleeve and an orange sash around her waist was Ultear. The female mage and Magic Council member cocked her hip out, placing a hand on said hip.

"Hello there handsome. It's been quite some time hasn't it?" She greeted with a smirk.

Bardock rolled his eyes internally while externally flaring his nostrils. He turned his head back in the direction of the ocean, vaguely aware of Ultear approaching a bit closer.

" **I hope you enjoyed the show back there. But I also think you're a tad bit hard of hearing… why are you here Ultear?** "

The female mage took a thinking pose before shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know what you mean." She answered airily.

All of a sudden, Bardock's fists slammed on either side of Ultear, only being several feet away from her person. On the outside it didn't faze her but internally she was a tad bit intimidated by the showing of raw power. Glaring hard with killer intent to back it was Bardock. The Saiyan was on all fours, his beastly face mere feet away from Ultear's now vulnerable form.

" **Cut the bullshit. I sensed you the moment I got a clue as to what was going on in this fucking freak show. Whatever you had planned backfired and I know for a fact I just cleaned your mess. So tell me why the hell you're here before I break you piece by piece.** " He growled.

A bead of sweat travelled down Ultear's temple. The mage took the time to clear her throat before regaining her composure and sporting a normal smile.

"Well… my initial intentions were to complete my original mission. It involved using Lyon's thirst for greatness and some parts revenge, to take Deliora under control. There were many stories of his power from the past and I couldn't pass the opportunity up." She told him.

Bardock flared his nostrils again, blowing sand and dirt in various places. He had a hard time believing Ultear's reason yet he knew it was true. She was just holding out more information. And that could mean trouble in the future.

Deciding that she was intimidated enough, Bardock stood to his full height, looking down at the mage with some distrust evident.

" **Funny, why is it I don't believe you completely? There's more to it than just wanting that demon under control isn't there?** " He questioned.

Ultear lost her smile and gained a more serious expression. Her crystal ball floated over to her and she took hold of it before cradling it underneath her arm.

"I guess you could say I have my own reasons for wanting to bring that demon back. One of which involves Zeref…"

" **Him again? Figures. Of course one of his pets is running around. Honestly doesn't surprise me one bit.** " Bardock commented.

Ultear quirked a brow, slight indignation flaring in her at being rudely interrupted. Although she did take a liking to Bardock, his attitude and personality took some adjustment to. On top of that, she didn't like the Saiyan's underlying opinion of Zeref nor did she want the man snooping into her personal life.

"And another reason is more on the… personal level." She disclosed with slight hesitance.

Bardock would have raised a brow at that piece of information.

" **Personal huh? Well don't just leave me hanging in suspense here. Why don't you share with the rest of the class what you mean by personal.** "

There was a somewhat mocking tone in his deep voice that irked Ultear. She frowned up at him as he crossed his arms.

"I don't see that as any of your business." She stated coolly.

" **And I for one don't give a damn. Part of the reason I'm out here is because a bunch of kids wanted to run off and prove themselves. Then they get mixed into a mess you help make. So I'm very well making it my business.** " He retorted.

The two stared at each other for several moments, the tension thickening. It would have been humorous from the outside looking in seeing such a feminine figure looking up at an armored giant ape. The waves continued to gently make contact with the sand on the shores of Galuna while the Saiyan and the mage had a tense stare down.

Ultear finally broke contact and glanced away to the ocean bitterly. Her mind immediately went to her past and one of the people responsible for her being where she was and who she was today.

"All I can tell you… is that it's a matter of family. My whole world was ripped away at too young an age."

She glanced up at him, his eyes inquisitive if anything. Ultear knew the alien male would have much sympathy for her. He was a bit too rugged for feeble emotions. Bardock was more the type to punch something in the face, destroy furniture and be mad rather than be sappy.

"My past is full of pain but my past in a way was filled with hope too. Hope for a better future and a better world. Does this answer satisfy you?"

Bardock regarded her for a few seconds. There was more to Ultear than meets the eye. She was flirty at times, definitely an intellectual, attractive and had a cunning about her that kept Bardock on his toes at times when she was around. But she just showed herself to be a bit vulnerable… mainly when it relates to her past. Just what happened back then that made Ultear who she was? Despite a lingering curiosity on the woman, Bardock cared little for some sob story. He had his own issues to worry about.

The Saiyan flared his nostrils and turned away to look out at the ocean.

" **Whatever. Keep the sappy shit to yourself thank you very much. And yes to answer your question I'm satisfied enough.** " He replied.

Ultear grew a tick mark and used her magic to hurl her crystal ball at Bardock's head. But the Councilwoman quickly forgot how tough Bardock's hide was. The crystal felt more like a tickling sensation as it hit Bardock in the head and shattered into several pieces. Ultear quickly realized her folly and sighed heavily as all pieces of her crystal ball reassembled in front of her.

"Honestly, you could be at least a bit more sympathetic towards a lady. But then again what do I know." She told him with slight irritation.

Bardock huffed in response. He was married and was only sympathetic when he needed to be. He hated… absolutely HATED being gentle towards anything. He was the typical, stubborn brute that could only be loved one person. And for all her softness…

Bardock quickly dashed those thoughts away. Now was not the time.

" **Yeah… what do you know.** "

Ultear calmed a bit before getting curious and ready for the alien male to answer questions of her own. She gazed at him, a very inquisitive look in her eyes.

"Say Bardock…" Ultear began.

Bardock merely glanced over, somewhat curious as to what Ultear was going to say or ask. He was also wondering why she was still here.

" **What is it?** "

Ultear adopted a thinking pose before brightening up. She smiled a bit before asking him something that had been on her mind for a few days now.

"I was curious after meeting them but… who or what exactly were Garlic Jr. and his men?" she asked.

Bardock blinked internally a few times, given he couldn't do it externally in this form. He knew she was going to ask at some point and he didn't see the harm in answering her inquiries. He looked back towards the ocean as Ultear waited another moment for him to speak.

" **They were part of a race known as Makyans. Like me, they're beings from amongst the stars. As for why they were here… I don't have all the answers just yet.** "

Bardock glanced over at Ultear who was paying rapt attention. He knew she was taking down as much details from what little he was giving her. This was a puzzle she had to solve on her own.

" **Makyans would have equated to vampires in your culture. I've read a book or two that suggests they're like that. So thank all your lucky stars or whatever deity you pray to that you weren't brainwashed. Because if that was the case... I'd probably have to hurt you really bad.** " He told her, smirk evident in his voice.

Ultear nodded at the information and the statement thereafter. So Garlic Jr. and his men were capable of enslaving others? He truly was as powerful as he had advertised once his betrayal had been revealed. Earth Land and its inhabitants really seemed to dodge a bullet there. But luckily, enslavement wasn't their original intention.

Ultear once again looked to Bardock. As more answers seemed to come to the enigma the man was, more questions seemed to fill right after.

"And the whole, 'Transform into a giant monkey' thing… what caused this metamorphosis?"

Bardock growled at the labeling 'monkey', his psyche immediately flashing to Frieza. To keep himself from seeing red, Bardock trampled down his temper and usual brash nature in favor of offering the last bit of information he was willing to give.

" **Whenever there's a full moon out… my people tap into the ability to transform into an Oozaru or better translated as Great Ape. This transformation amplifies our power by ten times.** "

Bardock turned so that the front of his body could be seen. He looked down at the female mage who was a tad shaken at his admittance. The Saiyan Rebel had been holding back a considerable amount since he got here. He only let loose when the situation called for it. Ultear merely saw a glimpse of his power seeing as he wasn't at full strength. But Bardock was sure she understood. As it stood, he was the most powerful being in Earth Land right now and he had a trump card to back it up, even if it couldn't be used all the time… but unknown to Ultear, Bardock could use his current form in the daytime too. She didn't need to know that though.

" **I'm sure you have more questions but honestly I don't feel like answering them.** " He stated.

Ultear blinked owlishly a bit before letting a chuckle escape. She smiled as she regarded Bardock for a moment.

"Well handsome, I'll get my answers eventually. Don't think your secrets will stay safe from me for long." Ultear playfully warned.

" **Yeah. I'll keep that in mind.** " Bardock snorted in response.

Ultear shrugged before turning on her heels and walking down the beach the opposite direction. Bardock watched her enter the jungle before he felt her energy start to move a bit more rapidly. The Saiyan Rebel sighed before taking a seat and watching the ocean waves under the stars and moonlight.

After all that fighting and using up quite a bit of energy, Bardock needed the rest. Plus he was eager to get back to training. Although he would get a boost from fighting Garlic Jr. and his men it wasn't enough. He needed more. He craved for more. His Saiyan blood challenged him to push his limits as new opponents were seemingly going to seek him out and not the other way around.

But as he considered the future where he would get a chance to fight worthy adversaries another thought came to mind. Growling just a bit, Bardock regarded the group of people who had taken him in and considered him one of their own. They were good as a collective whole. Several of them were great or had the promise to be great… just not to his level though. Nevertheless, they were going to need proper guidance in winning their fights. Fairy Tail's strongest team has lucked out two times in a row and Bardock didn't have enough patience to see a third. This time he would take matters into his own hands. And although he hated the idea, the Saiyan Rebel was slightly hoping the meddlesome teenage mages would accept his offer.

* * *

 **Galuna Island**

 **Beach**

 **The Following Morning**

It had been quite the feast and celebration amongst everyone.

Deliora's victims were now dressed in normal clothes, forgoing their robes as one of the signs of them finally being free of a painful past. Toby, Sherry and Yuka all made plans to head back to Lamia Scale with Lyon in tow, giving the ice mage a chance to consider life as part of a guild. Coincidentally, Gray had suggested the same thing before retiring for the night. Although he refused to acknowledge the advice, Lyon sported a small smile after the interaction.

Natsu and Lucy ended up sleeping side by side again, this time not being disturbed by the rest of their team, Happy included. The two had been conversing about random things as they had packed up and prepared to leave. They met up with the others on the beach as the villagers along with Deliora's victims had been waiting to say goodbye.

"We all appreciate your help in saving our village and bringing back peace to the island. How can we ever repay you?" Chief Moka asked with a large smile.

Standing before him was Erza, a single hand on her hip also giving her own smile. Behind Erza was the trio of Natsu, Lucy and Happy with Gray standing off to the side. Bardock was in the back facing the ocean, not even bothering to look in the direction of the villagers.

"The Celestial Key and your gratitude were more than rewarding. We were happy just to see the curse broken so you could continue your lives peacefully." Erza told the chief.

Natsu, who had Happy perched on his left shoulder, leaned right close to Lucy's ear. The blonde glanced her friend's way curious to know what was on his mind.

"Congrats on another key Luce. Mind if I see the contract forming thing again?"

Lucy's eyes widened a bit in surprise before she beamed Natsu's way and nodded. Natsu smiled right back while Happy looked over with slight suspicion and curiosity.

"Even so, it wouldn't feel right not giving you a proper reward besides just some gate key. I mean we have enough wealth in this village from years of trading. Seven Million Jewels isn't too much of a reward is it?" Chief Moka asked with slight concern.

Bardock rose a brow as he glanced over his shoulder. Seven Million Jewels? For breaking a curse on this garbage island in the middle of the freaking ocean? The Saiyan Rebel tch'ed before turning his attention back to the ocean. He was just waiting on the ship to get here so he could get back to Hargeon and then Magnolia. But first things first he needed to discuss something with the mages he had just bailed out.

Natsu, Lucy and Gray all had nervous laughs. They already knew Erza would refuse. Although disappointed in not getting the reward the mission being successfully was enough.

"Although we appreciate the offer, this wasn't an official job request. We would dishonor Fairy Tail by taking any sort of monetary reward for an unofficial job that was half done." Erza replied with a slight shake of her head.

"If anything give it to them."

Erza dropped her smile and looked behind her to see Bardock still staring at the ocean. The others looked towards Bardock with curious eyes, hoping to get an idea what he meant by his vague suggestion.

"Give it to who Bardock?" Erza queried.

Bardock let silence reign a few moments before looking over his shoulder again.

"Deliora's victims. And that's not including Lyon and his crew. They're mages who can work anywhere they want and still make a living. But those people are a different story." Bardock clarified.

Everyone was taken aback by this. Just why was Bardock being so generous? Many would think that it wasn't in his nature to be generous or anything kind in nature. Maybe hell froze over…

The Saiyan Rebel ignored the looks and stares as he looked back out on the blue sea, eyeing the approaching pirate ship.

"You were right about this being an unofficial job sure. But these people need the money more than we do, especially since we can't accept it. The way I see it, they've lost family and friends to a demon that has tormented them for many years. Although I gave them some closure by killing the damn thing, they need the financial support to get back on their feet. I think Seven Million Jewels is more than enough for them to get the fresh start that they need." Bardock further explained.

After all that, the Fairy Tail members smiled, as did Lyon and his group. Deliora's victims were in tears while the villagers wore bright smiles. They had let bygones be bygones last night after everything was explained. The residents of Galuna weren't the type of people to hold grudges. The chief looked to his son and the son looked to his father in return. As they shared smiles they also nodded in unison. It was the right thing to do. Chief Moka beamed at the Fairy Tail mages as he spoke.

"I can't help but agree more."

The victims of Deliora started sobbing uncontrollably. It was a beautiful sight to behold. As they were comforted by people they nearly condemned, they were receiving resources to help rebuild their lives anew. It overwhelmed them and the Fairy Tail mages couldn't help but smile at the scene. Even as their ride arrived and they departed shortly after, Bardock still looked away. He eyed the island for a bit as the ship sailed further away before turning heel and walking away from the railing on the stern. While Lucy was shouting her goodbyes, Bardock distinctly heard his name being called. The Saiyan turned around and he was slightly shocked to see those two kids from before. They were waving and screaming his name while their grandpa and parents stood behind them with smiles on their faces.

He wasn't a hero. He was just a warrior with a bloody past. Being thanked wasn't something he was used to. He slaughtered so many. He had done the dirty work of a tyrant. And here he was doing something somewhat honest for once…

He and the old man locked stares for a moment. Bardock composed himself with his usual scowl and nodded before turning around and walking away. The old man chuckled before approaching his grandchildren.

"I think he knows how much you appreciate him children." He told them.

"Do you really think so grandpa?" The boy asked.

"I know so young one. Although he doesn't show it, he appreciates your kindness and sincerity." The old man replied with a nod.

The young girl stood closer to the ocean, the breeze slightly blowing the edge of her dress. She smiled wide as she looked to the horizon.

"I hope we get to see him again one day grandpa. I wanted to give him a gift." She said.

The old man chuckled before approaching the young girl and placing a hand on her shoulder. They shared a glance before looking out to the sea.

"And I for one hope your wish becomes true my child. After being around him long enough, I think he could use whatever it is that comes from your heart." He assured her.

As the ship carrying the Fairy Tail mages sailed further away, Lyon and his group watched in silence. They all had a lot on their minds. But the thoughts they each had weren't all that negative. Yuka had his hands behind his back, smiling as he watched the pirate ship sail away. Toby stood by his side, foot perched on a rock watching the same view as his friend.

"Those Fairy Tail wizards really were something. Now I can see why Jura spoke so highly of them." Yuka commented.

"You got that right! And they're pretty strong too!" Toby added.

Sherry smiled as she observed her friends before turning her attention to her crush. He smiled as the wind blew through his hair. Sherry was more than happy to see Lyon in higher spirits. There was definitely a change about him that was for the better.

( _"Gray was right. Perhaps now is the time to take up Ur's advice and seek a new path."_ ) Lyon thought.

"Hey guys…"

The trio of Sherry, Toby and Yuka looked to their comrade with curious looks. Lyon tilted his head up to look at the passing clouds as made a decision that would better honor his teacher.

"Tell me something… what's it like? Being in a real guild?"

* * *

 **Sea**

 **Pirate Ship (Hijacked)**

 **Later on, before noon**

"You want to what?!" Gray exclaimed.

After almost an hour of sailing on the high seas, Bardock called the teenage mages and Happy down to the hold for what the Saiyan described as a proposition. A few minutes later, Fairy Tail's strongest team was in the cargo hold, filled with barrels, crates and extra supplies that a typical pirate ship would use. Gray sat on a crate, Erza stood with her arms crossed, Happy sat on a barrel, and Lucy snagged a chair next to the crate that Natsu slumped himself against.

Bardock leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he faced them. He then went into recounting the events on the island and how much he liked 'stretching his legs'. He even explained his Great Ape form to the team, including a detail he didn't bother telling Ultear the night prior. After sharing some back and forth, answering questions while sharing new details he didn't share before, Bardock hit the team with a proposal.

"It's like I said. I have the money and resources to take you kids along and train you. Keep in mind it won't be as extreme as my training but it will still push you to your limits." Bardock told them.

Everyone was shocked, including the near comatose Dragon Slayer slumped against a crate. Gray regained his composure before standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Why should we train with you anyways? We're doing fine just on our own." Gray said.

Bardock raised a challenging brow and Erza glanced at the ice mage trying to get a read on him. She knew the ice mage was still wary about being around the alien who had joined their guild and had a relatively bloody past to show for it. Still, a chance to be trained under someone so powerful was a great opportunity. Would she want to pass the proposal up?

Erza had to admit, despite her great strength there were others that were stronger than her. Being strong meant being able to protect what she believed in and who she cared about. She always was disciplined when it came to honing her magic skills as well as her physical skills in her youth but now…

( _"Although I am skilled I don't think it's enough. I never trained for the sake of just being strong. That said, I can't be stagnant. Evil is always on the rise and I for one can't afford to slip up. Not now."_ ) Erza thought with a slight frown.

"Because you and your merry band of idiots have lucked out the last couple of missions. Granted the opposition was weak as hell, you won't be so fortunate in the future." Bardock told the mage.

"Hang on! Time out for a second! What do you mean we lucked out?" Lucy asked with a confused look.

Bardock glanced over at the blonde as the ice mage nearby narrowed his eyes and looked away.

"It's like I said. You all got lucky. I cleaned up your mess. Although you were clearly winning each fight, it wasn't efficient enough. Your enemies in the future will be far stronger than the ones you're used to now. And mark my words, they won't be merciful in the slightest." Bardock responded.

"You're right on that account. Even so, I believe our skills have served us well so far. Luck had very little to do with the lives we've saved… that you especially saved Bardock." Erza chimed in.

Lucy and Gray glanced over at the scarlett haired knight. They silently urged her to speak her mind and get her own opinion on this particular development.

"However, as mages and citizens of our kingdom it is up to us to uphold the standards set by our predecessors. Dark mages and vile monsters won't hesitate to strike us down at our best or our worst. We need to be ready for anything."

Erza uncrossed her arms before placing her fists on her hips. She smiled while eyeing the Saiyan as he continued to lean on the wall.

"So… I'll take you up on your offer. I look forward to learning from you in the future Bardock." She declared with full confidence.

The Saiyan Rebel smirked at Erza's answer. He had his initial doubts that Erza would go along with his proposal. He wasn't in favor of doing something he came up with. But the proposal had promise. So he was pleased he managed to convince one of the brats to go along with him… now for the others.

"Count me in too…" Natsu weakly said.

( _"Far too damn easy."_ ) Bardock thought with a snort.

"Natsu?! You too?!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.

"What the hell! You flaming idiot! You trying to die?!" Gray shouted comically.

Natsu gave a weak chuckle before turning his head to look at everyone.

"Erza wants to get stronger… so do I. I have something I want to protect. That's why I fight… And that's why I want to train. Besides, don't we all have somethin' we're fighting for?" Natsu remarked with a weak grin.

Lucy still sat in shock before letting Natsu's words sink in. After knowing Natsu for a few weeks, when it honestly felt like a lifetime, she understood him for the most part. The Celestial mage was able to gain a lot of insight into Natsu's personality as well as how his magic worked. Hours of being a bookworm paid off when it came to a social life somehow.

The blonde teen smiled as she absentmindedly ran a hand through Natsu's hair. The Dragon Slayer tensed for a moment before his eyes became lidded and he leaned into his partner's touch. Lucy giggled as she blushed a little while regarding Natsu with a smile.

"I understand just fine Natsu." She commented.

Gray crossed his arms and huffed while Happy was chilling as usual.

"That's Natsu for ya!" the feline remarked.

"Well I for one don't get you flame brain. Training under this guy? All of us can get stronger on our own. You're nuts for wanting to do this." Gray ranted on.

"Good thing he isn't alone."

Lucy looked over to Bardock with a determined smile. The Saiyan Rebel dropped his smirk as he regarded the Celestial mage. For all her kindness and softness, would she really be able to handle what she was about to be put through? He didn't know what the Dragon Slayer was starting to see or had started to see in her. She wasn't exactly ideal mate material if Natsu was a Saiyan. That said…

( _"She's more like Gine if anything. With the rose haired idiot and Titania helping her out, she'll be just fine."_ ) Bardock remarked internally.

"Count me in Bardock." Lucy declared.

Erza nodded with approval while Natsu looked at his partner wide-eyed. Gray stumbled over his words as he looked at the blonde in disbelief. Bardock for one didn't care. He kind of figured Lucy was going to be a part of the training… just now he didn't have to be harsh when it came to convincing her why the training was needed.

Lucy looked over to Natsu, blush still evident as she beamed a bright smile. Deep down she was a nervous wreck. She was in no way shape or form ready for training under someone as powerful as Bardock, who was a non-wizard to boot. Even so, she still had the need to prove herself. She was a part of the strongest team in Fairy Tail. How could she look herself in the mirror afterwards if she passed up this opportunity to be a better mage?

"Someone has to watch your back Natsu. We're a team and I am one of your partners. Plus it's like you said before, you're pretty much stuck with me." She told him.

Natsu blinked a few moments and then Lucy continued on.

"And I want to get stronger. Not just for you guys but for Fairy Tail. Although I've achieved my dream there are so many memories I want to make with you guys. But we can't make memories without being strong enough to protect them. So I have to do this."

Natsu's face slowly settled into a warm expression and a wide smile. He too was blushing a bit, one for the extended intimate contact and two…

( _"She really is the best! I'll be watching your back too Luce!"_ )

"I… understand Luce. Let's get stronger together!" Natsu beamed.

"Yeah!" Lucy cheered.

Gray violently brought a hand to his face as he dragged it down. He stared up at the ceiling in slight despondency, questioning the sanity of his friends and questioning if the world broke.

"You guys are nuts for this…" Gray muttered.

Bardock looked around the room before his eyes landed on the odd man out. He didn't have to worry about Happy because the fur ball by default was joining the training, even if he was the team mascot. At this point where Gray was concerned, the ice mage didn't have a choice.

"Being as you're a part of this team, you don't really have much of a choice kid. It's either train or get left behind. But know that you probably won't be on the team long if your teammates have to pick up your slack." Bardock warned.

Gray gave a look mixed with exasperation and annoyance. He didn't like this whole situation at all. For the life of him the raven haired teen was on the fence about training under a man who used to conquer planets and slaughter for a living. His distrust of Bardock lessened somewhat after last night but…

"Let it be clear that although I'm grateful for what you did, I don't trust you. You're as shady as they come and if I had it my way you wouldn't have a place in Fairy Tail." Gray stated.

While Natsu and Erza held calm expressions, Lucy looked a bit troubled by what Gray had said. Sure Bardock wasn't exactly a saint but even guys like him deserved a second chance. Bardock rolled his eyes, not surprised the ice mage thought that way. The Saiyan wasn't here to be liked. He had a mission to do before finding a way home. Gray let silence reign in for a moment before he smirked and looked over at the alien.

"Even so, ain't no way I'm letting that pyro loving freak get stronger than me. Plus I like being part of a team so you can count me in." Gray said with a wide smirk.

Bardock nodded his head and sported a smirk of his own. Erza, Lucy, Happy and even the weakened Natsu looked excited at the prospect of training. The Saiyan knew they would struggle. They were going to fail at first before succeeding. But they all needed the push. No complacency. No more close calls. Once he was finished with them, Fairy Tail's strongest team would not only be made of strong individuals but a collective group of badass mages with warrior skills to back them up.

Bardock uncrossed his arms and walked away from his position on the wall. He let loose a chuckle as he passed each member of the team on his way to the stairs.

"Take some time off you crazy kids. I'll give the details of when you need to report in. Until then…"

Bardock stopped and looked over his shoulder at the group.

"Stay out of trouble." He ordered.

The Saiyan slowly looked back before sprinting up the stairs. After reaching the deck, Bardock blasted off into the sky, scowl firmly set in place. It hadn't been an easy last few days for sure but things were certainly looking up. New foes, harsh training and a chance to do something new with his life. As the Saiyan Rebel rapidly approached the coast of Fiore, his blood and mind flowed with excitement.

( _"No matter how many enemies come my way… I'll take them all on."_ )

The Saiyan Rebel smirked as he soared past Hargeon. He was beginning to like this new adventure he was on.

* * *

 **A/N: And done!**

 **That concludes the Galuna Island Arc! (*Confetti everywhere*)**

 **This chapter was a bit weak when written. However, I'm more excited about getting to the interlude chapter and working on the Phantom Lord Arc. It's been a long time coming and luckily I already had several chapters drafted beforehand.**

 **There will be updates coming for the other stories in the future so be on the look out.**

 **Remember to review and recommend the story to a friend! You guys are awesome as always!**

 **Later!**


	19. Bardock's Test

**A/N: Hi guys!**

 **Back with another chapter and whatnot.**

 **Before we dive in…**

 **Coronavirus has taken hold of the daily life of many across the world. Some have recovered while others have passed. It hurts to see my fellow man suffer during times such as these. All I can say is exercise social distancing and pray for those around you. Not only that, find ways to keep yourself from going stir crazy if you're cooped up for extended periods. I know it's not easy but we will make it through this.**

 **Now back to the story…**

 **Happy with the reviews I got. The chapter you are about to read will be the last before the start of the Phantom Lord Arc, all chapters still in production of course. Also I want to address the number one concern you all had heading into this fic. Are any Fairy Tail members going to use Ki? Or any mage for that matter? ABSOLUTELY NOT!**

 **Relax everyone. Bardock is simply going to train Natsu and his team without trying to have them harness Ki. He knows the dangers of introducing such a potent energy into a foreign world. Hence why he's just training them to make them stronger than what they already are. Fairy Tail characters are not going to use Ki. If, and this is a really big if, they do it will be limited to one person and the Ki that person holds will be watered down to not make him/her OP. But until further notice no Fairy Tail character is going to be using Ki.**

 **Now let's jump in!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **Weeks later**

 **Late July/Early August X784**

 **Magnolia, Kingdom of Fiore**

 **Lucy's Apartment**

 **Morning**

Time flew by following the Galuna Island mission. Fairy Tail's strongest team came home to a verbal lashing as well as the wackiest punishment they could endure… a punishment that eventually sucked in the entire guild.

Life returned to normal though once everything was figured out. Natsu and company either did jobs as a team or split up with Natsu partnering up with Happy and Lucy while Erza and Gray did solo jobs. The five of them were killing time and making a living while waiting on the start date for their training with Fairy Tail's resident Alien warrior.

Now though, it was early in the morning as Fiore was still in the middle of summer, well on its way to Fall once September hit. But it was almost August, a time where children would be off to school and learning typical school subjects. Until then, summer was still in full swing.

Lucy Heartfillia was up bright and early, getting a good breakfast in before conducting her morning ritual of hygiene and writing letters to her mother. And, if time allowed, Lucy could also be working on the novel she hoped would get noticed by the public.

The blonde had completed everything and now she was just waiting on Natsu to come pick her up. She had hit a bit of writer's block and needed to talk to Levy about some new ideas for her novel.

( _"Hopefully this training session doesn't last long. It is our first one after all."_ ) She mused.

So Lucy was content with reading a book until Natsu showed up. She was dressed in something more athletic and definitely something that was meant for hot weather. Currently she wore a gold tank top, black sports bra with matching undies and a blue skirt. For footwear she opted for boots, figuring she would be wearing them for the majority of the missions she went on.

Lucy lounged on the couch for half an hour until she heard the window in her bedroom open. It was then she heard his voice call out, something of which brought a smile to her face.

"Luce! We're here! You ready to go?"

Lucy giggled before closing her book and racing over to the shelf. Natsu had emerged from the bedroom, smiling ear to ear as he was ready to start the day off right. He already packed some gear for their training session with Bardock, things like extra snacks, towels, water and of course Happy's meals that consisted of fish. As far as outfits were concerned he stuck with the outfit he wore on missions. He had extra outfits at home and if anything Lucy or Mira could mend them if they got too damaged.

Lucy raced right by him and went for the duffle bag she bought the other day. It carried another set of clothes, a book, a sketchbook and a few snacks. After securing the bag on her shoulder, Lucy beamed a bright smile at him.

"All set! I'll meet you downstairs!"

Natsu nodded with a toothy grin before going to the window while Lucy made her way to her bedroom door.

"Oh and Natsu?"

Said Dragon Slayer stopped as he was perched on the window sill. He turned around for a moment and was surprised to find his partner in his space with a sly grin. She reached out and playfully bopped his nose with her index finger before twirling around and exiting her bedroom.

"Next time use the door Dragon Boy." She called out.

Natsu was stunned for a moment before a chuckle left his lips. He went about his task and leapt from the window down to the streets below.

( _"Not on your life Luce. Where's the fun in that?"_ ) He thought with a grin.

* * *

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

 **Gravity Chamber (Next to Bardock's house)**

Training for Bardock picked up the moment he came back. He spent some time in the rejuvenation chamber before he returned to his daily grind. He earned a good keep and immediately stocked up on food before going about his training.

His mysterious ally had been kind enough to provide him with a capsule that contained a fully functional Gravity Chamber. The Gravity Chamber came with amenities such as a section for the healing chamber, punching bags, weights, a fully stocked pantry with a fridge and a small bedroom. Plus there was a storage area that was made for supplies… including the weird as plant that sprouted in a special case.

The Senzu plant in its entirety was foreign to Bardock. The plant had the capability of producing seeds for reproduction as well as the miracle working beans that was a result of good garden work. The Saiyan Rebel made a mental note to plant a seed at Galuna Island when he got some downtime. It was explained in a note that the Senzu Beans had the capability of both feeding and healing a person. Connecting the dots, Bardock also surmised eating a Senzu Bean would give him a boost, the same boost all Saiyans received when going from battle to battle or surviving near death experiences.

Currently though, Bardock was hanging upside down doing full sit ups after a set of crunches. The Gravity Chamber had the neat feature of climate control and right now sweat dripped heavily off of Bardock's form. Additionally, the gravity was set to 40 and Bardock was loving the challenge he got from the increased pressure.

He continued to do rep after rep, the fire in his soul blazing brightly. He had already used the weights. He had already used the punching bag. He had already done all his stretches. And he had already done several different exercise that left his body with a damn good ache.

Coming up to rep 3,000, the Saiyan stopped and decided that this particular exercise was over. He struggled to untie himself from the bar but was free a moment later. Now for the tricky part…

With the weighted training gi adding even more pressure to his body, Bardock fell towards the hard, reinforced tile igniting his aura and stopping just a hair above the floor. He let out a breath before making a readjustment in mid-air to touch his feet to the ground. A moment later the Saiyan had reset the Gravity Machine to 1, the pressure lifting off of him.

Bardock took a deep breath before exhaling. It had been a very long time since he trained to such an extreme. The Saiyan Rebel walked away from the panel, rotating his shoulders and popping his neck. He stopped in the middle of the room before his fist snapped up mimicking a punch.

Bardock visualized several opponents in his head as his right elbow snapped up, taking an imaginary opponent in their face. Bardock then crouched low before doing several backflips and landing on his feet. The Saiyan Rebel then exploded into a series of kicks and punches. Feet and fists blurred as the warrior continued his routine. After several minutes, sweat dripped down Bardock's face as he halted and caught his breath.

( _"That's enough for now. I'm about to get those kids soon anyways."_ )

Exiting his stance, Bardock left his spot and headed towards one of the rooms to grab a towel. Although part of him was dreading having to essentially hold the teenage mages hands, another part of him felt a building anticipation of teaching people with not as much of a combative pedigree as he had.

That said, things were about to get interesting…

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

Erza and Gray met up with Natsu, Lucy and Happy on one of the trails that connected to Magnolia. Erza led them past the trees on the dirt path that would follow to where Bardock had made his personal stomping grounds.

"This is gonna be awesome! We're finally about to start training with Bardock!" Natsu exclaimed.

Gray, who was flanking Natsu's right side, gave his rival a dirty look of sorts, questioning the guy's sanity. Lucy just had a smile as she walked on Natsu's left. Happy was napping on top of Natsu's pack. As for Erza, she walked several feet ahead of her friends as she contemplated various things while being the guide.

"Calm your jets pyro. You shouldn't be so eager to get your ass kicked again. Come to think of it, what would Magnolia think to see you get taken down a peg?" Gray queried with a contemplative look.

Natsu lost his smile and a tic mark appeared above his head. Lucy quickly grasped his bicep as her touch would usually have some sort of calming effect. Natsu tensed up a bit in her grip as he bared his teeth and glared at the raven haired teen.

"You take that back crapsicle! He didn't kick my ass! It was just a spar not an actual fight so it doesn't count!" Natsu retorted.

"Calm down Natsu it's not that serious…" Lucy said.

Natsu's head snapped around with a crazed look as he pointed at Gray.

"But he started it Luce!"

"Then don't let him get to you then. After all you're way stronger than he is anyways." Lucy commented with a shrug.

Gray quickly snapped his glanced to the blonde with a shocked and betrayed look. Natsu on the other hand looked like a kid that just won the million jewel lottery. The Dragon Slayer sent a smug grin over to the ice mage as to mock him.

"You hear that Gray? I'm stronger than you. Even Lucy knows it for a fact." Natsu told him.

"That's a load of crap and you know it! You just brainwashed Lucy into saying whatever makes you feel better about yourself!" Gray replied.

Lucy stopped and turned to look at her friends. She chuckled nervously as she just thought to herself that she might have miscalculated on that last statement. Although she did have a high opinion of Natsu in terms of fighting ability, she never really meant to insult Gray. But then again she was right, Natsu was stronger than Gray, she wasn't sure on how much though.

"Don't be such a sore loser bud. Maybe one day you can be as awesome as me." Natsu taunted with a smug grin.

"Oh get real! Like I would ever want to be as lame as you! Even worse is that you smell all the damn time. How does Lucy ever put up with your stench?" Gray shot back.

"You guys…" Lucy weakly interjected.

Erza was getting a bit tired of their antics and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was about to stop whatever argument was about to take place before she noticed that they had reached the clearing. Her perceptive brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of what she reasoned was Bardock's home.

Lucy was still standing near the fire and ice duo as they argued and after another moment she noticed that Erza hadn't intervened yet. She looked over slightly curious as to what the redhead was doing only to match the knight's expression. Lucy had no idea that Bardock's home was so… different.

Happy, who was still sleeping on Natsu's pack slipped off and fell. After taking a moment to rub his sore face, Happy was about to scold his best friend and foster father before noticing that Lucy and Erza were staring at a strange building. Wait a minute…

( _"Come to think of it… weren't they going to be training with Bardock today?"_ ) Happy thought as he crossed his arms.

Natsu and Gray continued arguing, even as the larger building's door opened up. Emerging from the building was Bardock, dressed in training gi and a towel wrapped around his neck. He grasped the towel with both hands as his stare landed on the group of mages that sought him out for training.

Erza put on a determined stare while Lucy had taken a step back. She had every right to be nervous.

Happy flew above Natsu and Gray's heads to get their attention. They continued to argue for several moments before Happy snagged Natsu away from Gray.

"Happy? What the heck bud I was-"

Natsu was cutoff as his furry companion forced his face to look over to where the girls were looking. Natsu blinked several times as he took in the fact that A) Bardock was dressed different and B) that they had reached the place Bardock got to call home. Gray froze up during the argument and when Happy pointed the raven haired teen's rival attention elsewhere, Gray also decided to see what was up. His eyes widened as he saw Bardock. Although he couldn't feel the man's power, something in Gray told him to rethink things for a moment.

Once he had everyone's attention, Bardock's blank stare morphed into a scowl.

"Stay put." He ordered them.

Bardock turned heel and marched his way back into the gravity chamber. They had arrived at a pretty good time. On top of that, Bardock had a few items prepared for each of them to use. A few days after the Galuna trip, Bardock met with Makarov and Mira on getting specially made items that Natsu and his team could use in their training. Makarov of course was excited at the prospect and to Bardock's surprise, Mira wanted to help. She offered not only some financial aid in getting the supplies but also wanted to teach extra lessons. Bardock was hesitant at first but when the barmaid begged and pleaded with her best puppy dog look, the Saiyan caved.

Bardock received a thank you in the form of a fierce hug and a shout from Mira that she would also involve Levy. As Bardock began regretting the decision immediately, he was reminded of his decision by Makarov's hearty laughter and the late warning of how Mira loved to do fun stuff with her guild mates at time.

Fast forward to now, after ditching his towel in the bathroom, Bardock retrieved a bag from storage that would seem heavy to most, but not to him. This was like carrying a paperweight. After hefting the blue duffle bag with one hand, he emerged moments later to Fairy Tail's strongest team, who had decided to drop their bags and wait patiently. They all looked to him for their next set of instructions and continued to hold his scowl as he eyed them individually.

Bardock levitated off of the ground and the team of mages was wondering why he didn't say anything yet. It was all a part of the plan.

"Follow me." He said before slowly flying off.

The teens quickly got the message and ran after the man. Bardock did a short flight over to where his previous training grounds were before he got the gravity chamber and the house. Although he wasn't flying fast he had the team of mages doing a light jog over just to keep up. After a couple of minutes, Bardock landed atop a boulder and dropped the bag to the ground in front of it. The mages came to a stop, standing shoulder to shoulder with each other.

Bardock crossed his arms and leveled the team with a glare.

"Ok kids, here's how this is going to go…"

The Saiyan Rebel eyed each mage individually, the only one backing down from his intense stare being Lucy. Happy of course was hanging out on a rock nearby eating fish and not really paying much attention to anything.

"You came to me first. You each have the potential to be something more than what you are now. I've seen how you operate and by my standards it isn't good enough. That's why I'm going to be a bit more 'thorough' in my evaluation of you. After that, well…"

Bardock smirked darkly and brought his fists up, cracking his knuckles with the opposite hand.

"We can talk about what happens next once I'm done with my evaluation, which also happens to be your first test." Bardock stated.

"A test?" Lucy asked hesitantly.

"I'm kind of terrible at tests so it isn't too hard is it?" Natsu queried with a nervous chuckle.

Bardock dropped his grin and his fists went to his sides. He maintained his gaze on the Celestial Mage, making the Dragon Slayer next to her tense up. Erza noticed this too and her hand opened up. It looked like the knight picked up what was about to happen and if her pensive expression was anything to go by. Gray narrowed his eyes, trying to catch on to what was about to take place.

"I don't think you understand, the test…"

It was a movement that not even a Wizard Saint could possibly keep up with. One moment Bardock was on top of the rock. The next moment, the Saiyan stood behind Lucy. Natsu, Gray and Erza all stood in shock before they slowly turned their heads to see Bardock reach for Lucy.

( _"Luce!"_ ) Natsu thought in alarm.

( _"He's faster than before!"_ ) Erza observed.

( _"I never even saw him move!"_ ) Gray yelled in his head.

"… is to fight me." Bardock finished.

Bardock snatched the blonde's arm in his grip before yanking her back and tossing her into one of the trees. At the moment when her back impacted the hard bark, Lucy cried out in pain before falling to the ground with a hard thud.

Looking at the boulder, Bardock felt the rise of energy in the other three mages. He had gotten their attention, especially the one that mattered most. Said Dragon Slayer was slightly enraged at seeing his partner get treated so roughly… so how does he respond?

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** "

Bardock caught Natsu's flaming fist with little effort, the fire not even bothering him at all. Bardock barely gave the Dragon Slayer a chance to recover before yanking the boy forward and planting a hard knee to his chest, sending him through several trees.

" **Ice-Make sword!** "

The moment Bardock let his foot touch the ground, two flashes alerted him to his other opponents. The Saiyan side stepped a slash attempt from Gray before back flipping to dodge Erza's deadly blade.

Bardock slipped into his fighting stance and eyed both the ice mage and the knight. The ice mage had lost his button up and was now wearing his pants and boots. Erza on the other hand had gone for her **Black Wing Armor**.

Tauntingly, Bardock raised a hand and motioned for both mages to come and get him. Erza immediately rushed forward but to Bardock she was moving at a snail's pace, her slashes being predictable. He bobbed and weaved as Erza's slashes missed, the blade not even coming anywhere near his form. From what Bardock knew, **Black Wing Armor** allowed Erza to have limited flight capabilities.

Wanting to test something, Bardock's feet left the ground as Erza chased him. Her slashes had gotten faster but to Bardock they were still slow. He effortlessly let Erza's sword pass by him before he had gotten bored. Mid slash, Bardock caught Erza's sword with his left hand. Infusing a bit of Ki in his right hand, Bardock's fist quickly snapped forward and found its way into the scarlet haired teen's gut. With a grunt of pain, Erza was sent into the earth, creating a crater. The knight let out a pained groan as she slowly sat up, her sword falling in front of her stabbing the ground. Bardock stayed in the air before hearing some familiar words from the one opponent he hadn't dealt with.

" **Ice-Make Lance!** "

Several ice created weapons flew at Bardock, the Saiyan either dodging or batting the ice creations away. This continued on for a few seconds before heat erupted from below. Bardock had quickly dodged the torrent flames and looked down to see an angered Natsu Dragneel. A flash of light alerted Bardock to the fact that Erza had once again changed armors. The Saiyan Rebel lowered to the ground before slipping back into his fighting stance.

" **Ice-Make Hammer!** "

Bardock jumped to the side, dodging a blow from an ice made mallet before giving Gray a harsh kick to the ribs, sending the ice mage off to the side. Bardock then delivered an uppercut to Natsu before leaping up and grabbing the Dragon Slayer by the calf. Bardock then came down to earth and slammed Natsu on the ground, flinging him like a rag doll several times. When Bardock let go, Natsu hung off the ground for a moment before being kicked into a nearby tree… going straight through it and several more in succession. Bardock dropped his guard for a moment, taking in his surroundings and letting his senses alert him to anything that was out of place.

*Ding-Dong*

Bardock snorted and crossed his arms. The Blonde was a bit late coming back to the party.

( _"Honestly, I knew she was the weak link but to be this weak?"_ )

"About damn time…" He muttered under his breath.

Bardock waited several moments before he uncrossed his arms and leapt back to avoid the smash of a very familiar axe. Looks like Bardock was having his second meeting with a perverted bovine or whatever the hell he was.

Bardock stood tall and eyed Taurus with a raised brow, clearly showing he was unimpressed. Taurus hefted the axe and glared at the Saiyan while flaring his nostrils. Lucy was several meters or so away, holding a determined yet nervous expression. Although she had a whip in her hand, there was no chance in hell she was going to do anything with it.

"Took you long enough. I was actually beginning to think everyone on this ragtag team had backbone except you. You surprised me." Bardock told her bluntly.

Lucy bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. That one hurt. Good.

"Hell, I half expected that pink haired weakling to defend your honor or some bullshit like that. But you? I'm honestly considering letting you take free shots at me all day since I know just how weak you are."

Bardock then smirked and crossed his arms. He was kind of enjoying going back to his old persona. It felt good to put these teens through a trial by fire of his standards.

"Honestly little girl, go home. You're only holding this team back anyways. Your spirits having to do all the fighting for you and you can barely hold your own against some two bit bandit. You're out of your league and you aren't needed here."

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and let her face tilt forward. Taurus, feeling the emotional recoil of his master… his friend, enraged him. He rushed Bardock, axe held high and letting out his impression of a war cry. Bardock's smirk dropped and he uncrossed his arms as he backpedaled away from his attacker.

The axe and its weight must have been throwing Taurus' aim off. There was plenty of power that much was obvious. But there was no speed or accuracy to properly balance it all off. That or Taurus was just too weak to contend.

After dodging another swing from Taurus, Bardock felt Erza moving at a rapid pace. She had changed into her **Flight Armor** , an armor set made for speed. Bardock looked over his shoulder as Taurus was swinging his axe down. Bardock let his left hand catch the blade as his well-trained eyes tracked Erza's movement. To the average mages and even those well below average, Erza was moving faster than the human eye could track. To Bardock…

( _"Fast but not fast enough… nowhere near my level of fast anyways."_ )

Taurus tugged on his axe, trying to get it back but to no avail. Lucy, who was trying to quell her raging emotions saw the struggle Taurus was in and decided against leaving him in danger.

"Go back Taurus… you've done enough…" Lucy muttered.

Taurus looked torn and looked back to his friend to see if she was sure with her choice.

"But Miss Luuucy…"

Lucy shook her head and offered him a soft smile. She mouthed a thank you before sending Taurus to the Celestial Spirit Realm. Bardock rolled his eyes and not a moment later, he felt leather wrap around his wrist that was holding Taurus' axe. At the same time Erza appeared, coming in for a strike. Deciding to humor the female members of Team Natsu (still needs a new name), Bardock allowed his wrist to be held in place by Lucy's whip while Erza took her shots at him. Infusing Ki into his left hand, the Saiyan Rebel either dodged or deflected shots from Erza's short sword with just his fingertips. The knight got smarter and decided to broach the Saiyans defenses in a different way.

Erza halted her offensive and dashed back before moving in various patterns to try and confuse Bardock ,even though she had a clue he knew this tactic was futile. Still it was worth a shot…

( _"Hope you're enjoying the workout kids… It ain't over till I say it is."_ ) Bardock thought darkly with a visible smirk.

Erza let out a war cry as she slashed at Bardock's being, aiming for non-vital points on his limbs. As the short sword the knight wielded came into contact… it promptly bounced right off. Erza gritted her teeth and leapt back before performing dozens of slashes, all yielding the same result as before.

Bardock held his smirk as Erza continued to slash at his form. This wasn't much training to him but it was fun. Heh… fun. Saiyans only found real 'fun' in destroying their enemies and training. Plus there were the benefits of procreation or just the casual fling. That and Saiyans loved food.

Bardock's mind quickly went to the present and decided to test the knight's defenses with some light attacks. Dodging another slash, Bardock continued to smirk as Erza flew right by him, short sword in hand and a fierce scowl on her face. So the uptight knight had a war face eh?

Bardock bared his teeth in a fierce grin that Erza on edge. The next thing she knew, her face was greeted by a light tap from Bardock's knuckles, sending her careening through several trees.

"Erza!" Lucy cried out in worry.

Bardock's head snapped towards Lucy and he quickly yanked on the whip that was wrapped around his wrist. Lucy let out a squeak of surprise as she found herself sailing… right into a brutal backhand from the Bardock that sent her tumbling. The Celestial mage struggled to rise off the ground as blood trickled down her forehead. Bardock tossed the whip away before leaping up to avoid an avalanche of ice coming towards his six. Bardock held his smirk as he glanced towards Gray who seemed to be fed up with this game.

"That's it! No more games! This is your idea of training us? Fine!"

Gray slammed his hands together, ice gathering around him. His hands broke contact and in each were now two swords.

"This one is a new spell of mine. I've had some time to practice it a bit… I hope you like it! **Ice-Make Twin Excalibur!** " Gray roared.

Bardock laughed before narrowing his eyes and smirking even wider. Lifting both hands, he egged Gray to come at him full force.

"Come get some kid! I can kick your ass all day!" Bardock taunted.

Bardock, Erza and even Lucy watched in surprise as Gray started making ice as he ran, creating a ramp towards his intended target. Not deterred by the new tactic, Bardock kept his smirk waiting until Gray eventually leapt in the air and slashed at him. Even as they made their descent, Gray continued to attack despite Bardock dodging his moves with little effort. The Saiyan Rebel didn't let his feet touch the ground and glided back to allow for Gray to roll onto the frozen ground.

Bardock smirk held as he effortlessly glided across the battlefield. However his smirk dropped when he spotted movement in the corner of his eye. A rock impacted his cranium and his face morphed into an annoyed expression. Bardock's eyes scanned the treeline before shooting up to see an angered Natsu held by his furry companion.

"So the furball wants in too huh?" Bardock mused to himself.

Happy brought his best friend over to where Lucy. Natsu quickly helped her to her feet and then sent his attention to Bardock. Erza had returned and changed into her **Heaven's Wheel Armor** a move that might have been seen as overkill when in reality it was necessary. Gray stood tall with his swords in hand and Natsu stepped in front of Lucy who kept a determined face despite the scrapes and bruises.

Being surrounded on all sides by Natsu and his team, Bardock glanced around anticipating what was going to happen next. Maybe he needed to insult them like he did Lucy…

But insults weren't needed as Natsu rushed forward with the intent of delivering a strike.

" **Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!** "

Bardock was sent skidding back only a few feet, his arms blocking the fiery flames of Natsu's attack. The Saiyan twisted around only to dodge several punches and kicks. Bardock had been waiting for Natsu to go all out in a hand to hand scenario. Wanting to see how far Natsu's combat prowess went in terms of martial arts and street fighting, Bardock started blocking all of Natsu's blows.

After punch and kick combos weren't doing the trick, Natsu crouched low before leaping up and performing a roundhouse which Bardock blocked with his forearm. The Saiyan Rebel allowed the momentum of the kick to push him off to the side but he landed on his feet in the same state as before.

Bardock slipped into his fighting stance before Natsu initiated the offensive once again. Natsu ran forward before leaping and performing several flame enhanced punches to Bardock's forearms. Natsu kept firing punches until he reared his right fist back and let off an explosive punch that engulfed the area in smoke and flames.

The other mages and Happy covered their faces to avoid the smoke and debris. When they uncovered their faces and glanced into the thick dust cloud, Natsu came flying out a moment later. Natsu flipped and twisted his body before landing on his feet. The others rallied around him as it now clicked that fighting as individuals would no longer work. Now, they had to do this as a team.

With a loud shout, Bardock ignited his aura and blew away the dust cloud. Bardock dropped his aura and stared ahead at the team of mages with a fierce scowl. He was getting annoyed and bored with this whole evaluation now. He was tempted to knock them all out and start training after he got them each a senzu bean… or just let them train with injuries to build toughness.

"What are we gonna do you guys?" Happy asked.

"Fighting him on our own hasn't worked one bit." Natsu remarked.

"This might be a time where we need to fight together to even have a chance." Lucy commented.

"Exactly. We each have strengths and we should use them. Together there is no obstacle that can stop us." Erza said, agreeing with her comrades.

She then looked to Gray who idly glanced back at her.

"Use the environment to your advantage Gray. If we can isolate Bardock with your help…"

"No need. I got what you're saying loud and clear. Let's do this." Gray told her.

Erza nodded before turning her attention back to Bardock. Both sides held each other's gaze for a moment as the wind picked up through the area. Once the wind settled, Gray kicked things off with a surprise move. He stabbed his swords into the dirt and an ice trail led straight towards Bardock. The Saiyan side stepped the move only to be slightly surprised that it stopped right where he used to be. Gray then slammed his hands in the dirt while kneeling.

" **Ice-Make Floor!** "

The ground near and around Bardock became encased in ice. The Saiyan narrowed his eyes before his senses alerted him to something else, this time from the air.

" **Circle Sword!** Dance my blades!"

( _"Seriously?"_ ) Bardock half yelled in his mind.

Knowing what would happen if his feet hit the ground, Bardock glided while twisting his body to avoid the feeble attempts at being made a pin cushion. With the swords trying to attack any and all blind spots, Bardock opted out of gliding and infused Ki into his fists before doing flips on the ice. Erza continued to send sword after sword, trying to get Bardock into a position where he was vulnerable.

The moment Bardock came up from another flip, his eyes caught something.

" **Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!** "

Bardock waited for the Dragon Slayer's approach before twisting his body out of the attack path. The Saiyan Rebel felt the heat of Natsu fly right by him.

( _"He missed…"_ ) Bardock noted.

As Bardock went to plant his fist in the ice covered ground… it suddenly gave away. The Saiyan Rebel had a look of surprise as he let himself fall down the hole. He easily could have flown out of it. But he figured he let the Fairies have their moment of victory… before crushing it.

With the team, Lucy had a smile on her face while Happy stood beside her.

"Way to go Virgo! I owe you big time." Lucy cheered.

"It is of no consequence." Virgo replied.

The Celestial maiden had bowed before her master, face still blank. The other mages congregated close to Lucy and looked over at the hole where Bardock fell.

"That said…"

Virgo held out Lucy's whip while tilting her head.

"Punishment time Princess?" The maid asked.

Lucy let out a nervous laugh and had a visible sweat drop. She took her whip from Virgo before waving Virgo's suggestion off with her free hand and dismissing the spirit.

"No thanks. Maybe another time…" Lucy told her.

Erza, Gray and Natsu stared at the hole suspiciously for several moments. Natsu looked over to the others.

"He hasn't moved at all. I guess we must've impressed him somehow." Natsu said.

"Given how this has gone I highly doubt that." Gray swiftly rebutted.

Natsu raised a brow and shrugged his shoulders. He looked back to the hole, Lucy and Happy coming to his side. Erza narrowed her eyes and looked on. Though her and the others managed to coordinate a good plan on the fly, it shouldn't have worked this well. Bardock was leagues above any mage she met and carried s a power that was greater than magic could ever hope to be. So why would he just sit in a hole and wait?

As if to answer her question, the ground started to rumble and the mages heard the familiar roar of an alien warrior. Each of the mages stepped back, the nerves rattled.

"I hate it when the frozen turd is right…" Natsu cursed beneath his breath.

Each of the other mages took a step back, trying to maintain stable footing. The rumbling continued on for several more seconds before it came to a halt. Before anyone could as so much utter a whisper, Bardock flew out of the hole at high speeds before disappearing in a movement too quick for even the best mage to follow.

"Ah crap! Where did he go?" Gray said in distress.

Natsu looked around for a moment and his eyes widened when he heard a pained gasp from behind him. He looked back only to freeze when he saw his partner fall to her knees before falling face first into the dirt. Bardock had his right hand shaped in the form of a knife before bringing to his side making a fist. The Saiyan took a glance at Lucy before setting his eyes on the others.

Natsu, Erza and Gray settled into stances. Each mage was ready to make Bardock pay for hurting one of their own but before they could do anything the alien warrior was moving. Natsu watched in stunned and horrified slow motion as Bardock went for Erza, the Saiyan's right hand cocked back with a Ki orb forming.

When Bardock reached Erza, he looked her dead in her stunned brown eyes. The knight could only watch, too slow to react, as Bardock's right hand came in contact with her midsection. The force behind the attack sent her flying and the Ki orb that had attached itself to her midsection detonated. A dust cloud had formed and Erza was seen by all combatants as she tumbled out of the cloud in broken armor and torn cloth, her modesty still intact. When she came to a stop, she was unconscious with a pained expression on her face. Natsu and Gray looked on in shock as Bardock stood up, turned and looked in their direction.

The rivals gritted their teeth before allowing their magic to flow. They rocketed towards the Saiyan, intent on pummeling him into the dirt or at least damaging him to an extent. Bardock wasn't going to allow this fight to continue for much longer so he decided enough was enough. These two rivals couldn't beat him on his worst day. Hell they couldn't beat him period.

Bardock raced forward, performing a double clothesline to both mages. Natsu recovered after impacting the dirt but was quickly sent away by a fierce kick to the abdomen. Gray slowly got to one knee before being put to sleep by a kick to the head from Bardock.

With the Dragon Slayer the last one standing, Bardock walked over Gray's prone form and stopped several meters away from the last mage standing. Natsu clutched his midsection with one arm as found it difficult to catch his breath. He glared at Bardock with one eye fully open and one eye lidded as he was in pain.

"You done?" Bardock bluntly asked.

Natsu took several moments to get whatever oxygen he could into his system. The salmon haired teen growled before shooting to his feet and rushing forward. Bardock instantly sensed that Natsu was gathering his remaining magic for a last effort move that would essentially end the fight. But the ending of this fight would not be in Natsu's favor.

Flames encompassed Natsu's feet and arms as he performed a short leap in the air and reared both fists back. Bardock narrowed his eyes and prepared a counter to whatever this attack was going to be.

"Try this one on for size! **Dragon Slayer Secret Art!** "

( _"Secret Art? An advanced move of some kind from the sound of it."_ ) Bardock mused with a raised brow.

It was then Bardock noticed all the flames encompassed Natsu's arms now. This finisher was most likely melee based. Bardock formed an x-shaped guard with his arms as he felt the heat and impacts from Natsu's fists.

" **Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!** "

Explosions rattled off on Bardock's form, the Saiyan being impressed with the fact Natsu had something like this in his arsenal. He already had a clue mages had special moves in their repertoires saved for emergencies. For almost 30 seconds Natsu continued to expand every bit of magic he had left. After one last explosive punch Natsu landed on the ground before leaping back and dropping to a knee.

"Natsu!"

The Dragon Slayer had an exhausted look on his face as he looked over to see a worried and slightly-panicked stricken Happy. Natsu slowly stood up, right arm wrapped around his midsection as he let out a pained chuckle.

"It's alright Happy… everything's going to be-"

Natsu was cut off as a fist was planted into his midsection, this time for sure breaking his ribs. Not only that, it sucked whatever energy the young man had left in him. Bardock stood up straight and glanced as Natsu wrapped his arms around his torso before falling to his knees. The Dragon Slayer let out more sounds of choked agony before hunching his back and falling into the dirt, his consciousness ebbing away a moment later.

Bardock continued to do his mental evaluation of the team, Natsu included. He weighed all the factors in, weighed in what they had shown him and just what they might be capable of. Training others wasn't foreign to him. But training young mages who he had only known for a month or so? This was going to take patience. He hated being patient. He was always on the move. If he wasn't doing anything he was left to his thoughts… and usually that drove him a bit stir crazy.

Bardock dispelled the runaway train of his thoughts and turned to look at the team mascot. Happy was panicking as he looked around. His friends… the three people he grew up with and the blonde who he had come to call friend were all beaten down like amateurs.

"Happy!"

Happy snapped out of his panic attack and looked over to Bardock with a slightly fearful expression. The Saiyan sighed as he bent down and hefted Natsu over his shoulder. He looked over to the only conscious Fairy Tail member and motioned for him to help get the others. Happy understood this and nodded.

"Aye sir!" Happy said, snapping to a salute.

Bardock watched as Happy fetched Lucy first. Typical. The Saiyan shook his head and took off for the sky. Training these kids would indeed be the biggest headache he would ever experience.

* * *

 **Sometime later**

 **Near Bardock's Home**

Natsu was vaguely aware that he was asleep. It was rather peaceful. He didn't know the last time he had gotten such good rest. But all good things had to come to an end. Natsu felt his mouth be forced open and small object be inserted. Was it poison? Natsu would have spat it out but someone forced him to bite and chew on whatever this mystery object was. Turns out it was a bean. And said bean revitalized him faster than the fire buffet Mira cooked for him that one time.

Not only was Natsu feeling full but his magic had been resupplied along with an added bonus. Now curious as to what was going on now, Natsu struggled to open his eyes. As he wanted to get a visual image of the world, his nose notified him that his partners were sitting by his side. Eager to check on his friends, the Dragon Slayer finally opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness in his vision. He turned his head and managed a small smile to Lucy and Happy who smiled back.

"Hi." Natsu greeted.

Lucy's eyes became a bit lidded and a light blush lit up her face. She reached over and ran a hand through Natsu's hair, the Dragon Slayer having pink coating his cheeks as well.

"Hi." Lucy greeted back.

The two teens stared at each other for a bit before a certain cat had to ruin the moment.

"They like each other!~"

Both mages blushes intensified and before long they had to hide their irritation at their lovable and furry friend ruining the moment. It was bad enough they were teased about their developing… bond on Galuna but now? If the universe could not be cruel and let them have their moment it would be nice.

* * *

 **A Few minutes later**

"I was wondering when you would wake up. Thought for a second I put you in a coma by accident."

Bardock's joke seemed to sour Natsu's mood a bit. He was in a row with the rest of the team. It started with Happy at one end, then Natsu, then Lucy followed by Erza and Gray respectively. They all sat on the ground, in front of them a blue duffle bag and behind it the owner of said bag Bardock, standing with his arms crossed.

"Okay, I won't sugarcoat it… you all failed." Bardock bluntly stated.

Natsu, Gray and Erza looked off in various directions, disappointment written all over their faces. Lucy was just saddened and looked at her hands in her lap.

"That said, this wasn't a test you were meant to pass anyways. This was my way of evaluating you. I'm still training you regardless. I just needed to consider focus points for when we get started." Bardock clarified.

The mages and Happy all looked up in shock at that. Him of all people would still train them? And what did he mean by it was a test they were meant to fail? Erza thought on it for a moment and then it hit her. She blinked a few times before she let out a chuckle and shook her head. Everyone, Bardock included looked to her for an explanation.

"Something you want to share with the class Scarlet?" Bardock queried with a raised brow.

"I get it now. We weren't meant to pass because you weren't going to allow us to beat you. Additionally the main objective of the test was to fight you. This including the fact you were holding back when you fought against us." Erza explained.

"What?!" the other members of the team yelled.

"So hang on a minute! He was holding back?!" Natsu exclaimed with a wide eyed look.

"Argh! I knew this was a mistake… I should have just stayed at home…" Gray muttered while he face palmed.

"That is so lame… and a bit scary…" Lucy commented with an exasperated smile.

Happy just smiled and looked toward the Saiyan Rebel. He tilted his head as his tail swished back and forth.

"By the way Happy, you're doing some training of your own too. Not the same kind as these four but I figured you want to get stronger in your own way." Bardock informed the cat.

Happy thought on this for a moment. He didn't mind getting stronger and being able to help his friends. He was a member of this team too. There was only one thing to ask…

"Oh! Will there be fish?" Happy eagerly asked with a bit of drool on his mouth.

Bardock quirked a brow and nodded his head. The little guy wanted an incentive to train? Just indulge him with the promise of his favorite food.

( _"I catch fish all the time so it's no issue. I need to get rid of the excess I catch anyways."_ )

"Then count me in sir!" Happy exclaimed while snapping to a salute.

Bardock sighed at the cat's antics. That headache was going to come sooner rather than later. The Saiyan Rebel uncrossed his arms before kneeling down and unzipping the bag, revealing its contents. The Fairy Tail mages scooted themselves closer to see and were rather surprised at what was in the bag.

* * *

 **A Quick change of clothes later**

All four mages had put on what was specialized weighted gear. Each of them were now wearing a weight vest, weighted wristbands for each arm and ankle weights. Lucy had changed into a t-shirt, athletic shorts and training shoes beforehand. Erza had opted to go for the same look except she wore a tank top instead of a t-shirt. Natsu stayed in his usual clothing only opting to shed the vest. Gray changed into sweats, shoes and a tank top before putting his gear on.

Each mage immediately noticed how different they felt.

"This equipment… it's different." Erza noted aloud.

"This training gear is specialized for mages who want to reach their full potential. I had Mira and the old man do some digging. We got pretty lucky and scored this equipment for the right price." Bardock explained.

Erza nodded her head and continued to stretch, now feeling that her arms were weighed down. The others did experimental stretches as well, feeling different than before.

"My arms feel a bit heavy. Plus I don't how to describe it but my magic… it's almost like…" Lucy tried to theorize.

Erza placed her hands on her hips and looked over to the blonde.

"I gather this equipment we're using will not only help us with physical training but magical training as well." Erza explained.

Erza looked over to Bardock who observed everyone while he kept his arms crossed.

"Erza's right. The weights you have on are meant to build a mage's physical condition while simultaneously increasing how much magic you can output and how much magic you can store." Bardock added on.

The others stopped their stretches and looked to him.

"I'm going to warn you right now this training won't be easy. I won't hold back. You're past the crawl phase of training. We are in the walk and run phases. You want to get stronger and be the best mage possible, you'll start by taking this training seriously. I won't hold your damn hands through this as you're fully capable of the challenges that lie ahead of you. My question is how far are you willing to go to fight for what matters to you the most? And how far are you willing to go to be the strongest?" Bardock spoke and then questioned.

As the wind blew through the area, each mage adopted faces of determination before smiling. Natsu walked forward before bringing a flaming fist into his palm. He grinned a toothy grin and Bardock could still see that familiar fire in his eyes.

"You kidding? My blood is pumping just from the thought of it! I'm all fired up! Let's get this training started!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

Bardock closed his eyes and smirked. He never thought in a million years that he would be training magic users. He's been to several worlds, worked for a tyrant, found love and forged bonds with fellow warriors. This was just something to add to his roller coaster experience of what he called life.

The Saiyan Rebel opened his eyes and glanced at the mages. At the end of the day, he would set the starting line. Where they would go next was set on their shoulders.

"Let's begin."

* * *

 **A/N: That concludes the filler chapter!**

 **Natsu and his friends will now be training under Bardock's tutelage. The results will show for themselves in the coming arcs before we hit the big one which is Tenrou. Still that is a ways off.**

 **Your thoughts? All reviews, comments and criticisms are welcomed. You guys have been patient with me and my stories so I always appreciate you!**

 **Is Slayers of Kuoh getting an update? Within the next two weeks, same with Dragon Hero's Fury.**

 **Any new story ideas? My bigger projects are still in the works and I have drafted ideas for a Predator/Mass Effect crossover as well as an X-Over/Mass Effect story.**

 **You guys are awesome as always! Stay safe, practice social distancing and wash your hands!**

 **See ya later!**


	20. The Message

**A/N: Howdy howdy!**

 **Life's looking up so far. Getting sunshine on my face, getting some good food and enjoying some exercise every day. When in doubt, a little sunshine on your face will brighten up your day.**

 **So, I looked over the reviews from the last chapter. Glad everyone enjoyed it. And yes, it was hilarious how the Strongest Team got their butts kicked so easily. It was as Bardock said, the test was never set so they could win. They were meant to fail and only learn from it.**

 **So a reviewer was curious as to what was going on with Gine, Goku's mother and the wife (+ mate) of Bardock. Here is my answer…**

 **I was ok with Dragon Ball XV. The downside of that game was that transformations, although awesome and a boost were temporary. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 made leaps and bounds in terms of content and fixing gameplay issues from the original. Not only that, you can become Super Saiyan Blue. The author named 'Synergizer' introduced what I believe to be his own take of a Xenoverse MC going through Fairy Tail, which is an awesome story by the way. I'd do a story like that myself but take it a bit further. Luckily I have a story drafted with a solid background for my MC, who is going to be make a guest appearance later in the story. Spoilers, he doesn't work for the Supreme Kai of Time. Another spoiler, someone is sent before him to help Bardock and company when things get a bit dicey.**

 **And… I still need to play DBZ Kakarot. Haven't had access to my consoles for a while so I need to give that game a proper review.**

 **But back to the matter concerning Gine. She will be making her debut in the story in a later arc. How she arrives will be a surprise but not so much so. I can't go into detail because those are spoilers I won't be spilling. Speculate at what might happen because that's all you can do until that particular part of the story comes.**

 **Also… I will be celebrating my birthday soon.**

 **Another thing… first chance I get I'm catching up on all the gaming I have missed. Starting with the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Modern Warfare 2 Remaster.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.**

 **Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.**

* * *

 **September X784**

 **Unknown Location**

Deep within an old building, there was an office. The walls were made of dark colored brick and the decorations consisted of banners, shelves for books and magic items as well as artifacts. Sitting behind the desk was a tall, malevolent figure. His painted lips were curled into the cruelest, most evil smiles.

Standing before him, assembled were the most powerful mages his guild could offer… and four powerful newcomers that would be his secret weapons against an opponent possibly too strong for even him to handle. But maybe he was overestimating his adversary's newest member. Maybe all he heard were really rumors after all. But he couldn't leave it up to chance. He need the precaution to be safe.

"The time has come to send a message." He began.

A crystal ball, sitting on the desk lit up and revealed an image. The image shown was a large building with the sunset in the background, a banner with a familiar symbol hanging above the entrance.

"For far too long they have overshadowed us. For far too long they have represented this kingdom with their softness. And for far too long they've stolen business away from us. But no more. Today is the day we let them know who is in charge. Today is the day we let them know that their days are numbered."

The figure then looked to his most loyal agent. This mage was the one man who could carry out this task with efficiency and stealth.

"You know what to do." The figure told the young man.

The agent grinned, showing off sharp canines, the light from the crystal ball also reflecting off of the many piercings on his face.

"Gihi… this is gonna be fun."

The figure began to let out a low chuckle before letting out a laugh that echoed throughout the building. Those down below felt shivers run through their spines. It seems their boss was once again up to no good.

* * *

 **Magnolia, Kingdom of Fiore**

 **Morning**

Fairy Tail's strongest team…

Team Natsu…

Those were two names associated with a team that Erza Scarlet, Titania, had put together last minute in order to defeat Eisenwald, the dark guild hell-bent on using a powerful flute that served as the vessel for the demon Lullaby or something along those lines.

But after being together for two months the team had adopted a new name…

Fairy Alpha.

After starting their training with Bardock, the four mages and the team mascot had gained the reputation for increased efficiency and less resulting damages during jobs. Not only that, they were much stronger than what they were before. Credit for their gain in strength went to their work effort while simultaneously going to the man who had the idea. And it's best not to forget he had help.

When the four mages and talking cat started their training, they were informed by Bardock that he had assistants to help since he wasn't a magic expert. He excelled in using Ki and magic was out of his field. So Bardock brought in Mira and Levy to assist.

With Mira's teaching style and Levy being able to research and provide knowledge, the team was able to adapt and learn. Hell, Levy even managed to scavenge research regarding Celestial Magic and Dragon Slayer Magic, seeing how both magics were so unique. Lucy ended up increasing her magic reserves and summoning time for her spirits. The blonde's primary goal was to reach a point where she could call two spirits at once and not have a heavy drain on her magic. For Natsu he worked on a multiple areas. The Dragon Slayer was like the rest of the team, wanting to increase his magic reserves as well as improve physically. Physical improvement for Natsu was difficult in the first few days since he was already stronger than most mages in that area. For that reason alone, Bardock allowed Natsu limited use of the Gravity Chamber. The results spoke for themselves when Bardock tested Natsu's new speed and power out. The verdict? Natsu was well on his way to surpassing Erza and becoming an S-Class mage (if he hadn't already).

The others didn't want to fall behind so they pushed themselves every day when they weren't doing jobs. Erza was able to utilize her magic based telekinesis with better efficiency and Gray was able to get more creative with his attacks. Both mages had also increased their magic reserves. And for Happy, the fish loving feline was able to hold Aera for extended periods of time after Bardock had him do some modified flying.

Training was put to the test with several jobs and the team never disappointed. Currently, they were making their way back to the guild after another successful job. Erza led the way, tugging along her luggage. Gray was behind her, hands in his pockets and a bag strapped to his back. And behind the raven haired teen was the trio of Natsu, Lucy and Happy.

"And another job done! Man we're on a roll!" Natsu cheered with a pumped fist.

"Aye sir!" Happy seconded.

Lucy giggled while Gray rolled his eyes with a small smile. Erza looked over her shoulder with a smile of her own, enjoying the high spirits they were all in.

"Our success stemmed from great strategy and efficiency. We defeated the bandits and avoided unnecessary destruction in the process." Erza commented.

"You mean flame brain didn't destroy half a town this time?" Gray joked.

Natsu stopped in the middle of his cheer, blinking a few times before a vein popped on his head as he glared at his rival. Just as the Dragon Slayer took a few threatening steps forward, Happy got in front, pressing his paws to Natsu's chest while Lucy held Natsu back by his arm. Both were letting off nervous laughs while attempting to calm him down.

Erza herself continued walking, a smile still on her face. While Gray was enjoying another one of the many insults he takes at his rival on a daily basis, he was unprepared for what Erza said to him next.

"I don't know Gray. There are days when you are just as if not more careless than Natsu. Maybe you should continue to exercise your own control before criticizing his. After all, Natsu had made strides in toning down his usual carelessness."

Gray stopped and shot Erza a look of hurt and betrayal. He needed to work on his control? Him? The trio of Natsu, Happy and Lucy snickered as they walked by the stunned ice mage who had stopped in the middle of the road. With a twitching brow, Gray watched as his three guild mates enjoyed Erza's verbal jab at him while she simultaneously backed Natsu. The raven haired teen let out a sigh and caught back up to his team.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up…" He said under his breath.

The team had entered into Magnolia, the city bustling with life on a fine September morning. Gray had managed to stay by Erza's side while Natsu, Happy and Lucy hung back.

"Got any plans for the rest of the day Luce?" Natsu asked with a smile.

"Just some reading and shopping. You and Happy are going to have to help out more if you're going to be eating up all my food." Lucy replied with a light scolding tone.

Natsu chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well it's not our fault your cooking is so good. Plus we work so much we kind of work up an appetite." Natsu said.

"Aye sir!" Happy seconded.

Lucy let out a sigh while lightly shaking her head. As Natsu was ready to continue the conversation, his ears picked up murmurs from people all around him and the team. Of course it was typical of the citizens to be working stores, walking town or simply preparing for travel. But this was something different.

The rest of the team noticed it too and even without dragon enhanced hearing they could hear the whispers.

"It happened last night…"

"Those poor souls…"

"Vandalism for sure, no witnesses though…"

"You think they know?"

"Don't stare sweety, it's best not to get involved."

Not only were people staring at them but they were looking in the direction of where the guild hall stood.

"Hey Erza, what's up with everyone?" Gray queried as his eyes scanned the area.

"I don't like the looks we're receiving. It's almost as if they're pitying us." Erza deduced with narrowed eyes.

Natsu adopted a serious expression and looked towards the horizon. He saw Fairy Tail's guild hall… only it was a bit misshapen. Happy saw it too and had a nervous look on his face. Lucy had a worried look and she spared Natsu a glance wondering what was wrong. She moved to his side and lightly grasped his forearm with her hand.

"Natsu?" The blonde whispered.

The Dragon Slayer tensed and his face twisted into a grimace. Lucy looked to Happy only to see the feline point towards the guild hall. Now seeing the shape and outline of the guild hall being so different, Lucy reeled back a bit in shock. Erza and Gray had also tensed up when they saw the guild hall in the distance.

"We need to move. Now." Erza said with an urgent tone.

Little did the team know, their guild had been sent a message. A message coming from a longtime rival…

* * *

 **Outskirts of Magnolia**

 **Bardock's Home**

"Another damn day in paradise… great."

Bardock had come a long way since arriving to Earth Land. He survived Frieza, helped defeat a demon, fought off aliens native to his universe while beating another demon… and apparently made friends.

( _"Tch… yeah right. More like annoying ass acquaintances."_ ) Bardock thought with a snort.

It's been two months since his arrival into a world that may need a hero… or just a dark avenger of some sorts. He had taken up to being the mentor of four mages and their talking cat, training them to be much stronger than what they were. Plus he got help in the form of a barmaid and a bookworm. Given he wasn't well versed in magic, he needed their expertise in the matter. Mira talked about controlling magic power, magic sensory and other skills strong mages need to survive the tough jobs. Levy offered knowledge and tips into tapping into advance skills when it came to each individual's magic type.

Bardock of course physically trained them until they could barely stand. He even sparred against them on occasion, holding back just to see what improvements had been made. He wasn't disappointed. Though progress was slow by his standards, being a Saiyan and all.

Speaking of, Bardock had managed to juggle his duties as a Fairy Tail member and train to surpass his limits. It was in between training and doing jobs that things got a little interesting. A couple weeks back, Bardock decided to plant Senzu seeds in places only he and Fairy Tail could have access to. Especially given he had to spill the beans to Natsu and his team about how they quickly healed from scrapes, bruises and broken bones. He didn't say anything about his mystery ally, only saying he had come across a mystery plant while traveling Earth Land.

Back to two weeks ago, Bardock returned to Galuna Island, making a deal with Chief Moka, who was more than pleased to see the savior of Galuna return. Chief Moka agreed to keep the Senzu seeds and what would come of it a secret along with the rest of his people, repaying a debt to the Saiyan Rebel for all his good deeds.

After Bardock left Galuna, he flew around for a bit before stumbling upon the strangest island he had seen. This island had a large tree in the middle of it. If Bardock could estimate its size, it could match the height of King Vegeta's palace if it grew any more. Not wanting to waste time and dwell on the island's strange appearance, Bardock quickly landed a planted Senzu seeds at multiple locations, including along the tree. Once his work was done, Bardock was ready to leave until his senses went a bit haywire. He checked his surroundings only to see someone leaving. From what he saw, it must have been a girl, long flowing blonde hair and a pink dress. Although he didn't see her face Bardock could hear the girl's giggle. When he tried to follow her, she disappeared. Bardock then chalked her up as him seeing things before leaving the island. Had Bardock been paying better attention, he would have also sensed a dark energy, stronger than all the mages he had met so far.

Back to the present, Bardock just finished his training for the morning, deciding he would indulge on Mira's cooking. After spending over a month of training in the Gravity Chamber, Bardock managed to reach 200 times Earth's (or Earth Land's) natural gravity. It had been a trying time when it came to Bardock's limited patience but it worked out. He figured by this point he had surpassed the strongest members of Frieza's inner circle by great margins. Now he just needed a worthy opponent.

Dressed in his battle armor, which he had taken the time to clean due to Mira's insistence one day, the Saiyan Rebel rolled his shoulders and popped his neck. He looked to the sky, an odd sense of peace coming over him. Was this to be his life? Training and working until he could find a way home? It could take months or it could take years he knew. But Bardock was always doing something to stay busy. He needed to.

"Well, guess it's time for me to head to the guild. Wonder what Mira's cooking…" He mused aloud.

Bardock shot into the air without igniting his aura. He looked in the direction of Magnolia and slowly, by his standards, flew to town. Only a minute later he was in Magnolia's airspace. But something caught the Saiyan's eye. Additionally he sensed something was up, given the fact that the energies of Natsu and his team hadn't moved from in front of the guild hall.

"Hang on a sec…" He said to himself.

Bardock looked at the misshapen building in the distance, quirking a brow as he stayed in his spot in the air.

( _"Something's off. Mira is with Natsu and the others. But why does the guild hall look like that?"_ )

Bardock flew closer before landing on the street. Many of the pedestrians gawked at him, which he promptly ignored. But it wasn't the first time he was the center of attention, annoyingly enough. Hell, even though the entire city of Magnolia knew who he was, they were always in awe of him.

Bardock strode on the path that would take him to the guild hall. Once he reached a good distance, his eyes slightly widened in surprise.

"The hell?"

The guild hall had multiple metal poles sticking out of it. The roof was in shambles while the entrance was a total disaster. It must've been hell trying to get in and survey the damage. The structure held up surprisingly well, if there anything good to say.

"Who redecorated the place?" Bardock asked aloud.

The Saiyan Rebel's face morphed into its typical scowl. His eyes went from the building to the people standing in front of it. Natsu was off to the side, distraught while Happy stood at his side, ears slumped. Gray was off to the side, hands in his pockets as he silently fumed over what had occurred. Erza and Lucy were with Mirajane. As Bardock strode his way over to the group he overheard bits and pieces of what the barmaid was telling the blonde and the redhead. When he came up in conversation, Bardock stopped several yards away and crossed his arms.

Natsu was the first to notice him via his scent. The Dragon Slayer barely glanced over his shoulder, his emotions still in turmoil. Gray glanced over, followed by Erza and Lucy. Mira was the last one as she fully turned around to see the alien warrior standing away from the group.

"Bardock…" Mira said, tone somber.

The Saiyan looked to the building before looking to the group again. They now approached him, gathered in a half circle. He eyed each of them, the angry looks of Natsu, Erza and Gray were more than enough to confirm to Bardock that this little stunt hit close to home. He then eyed the more emotional ones of the bunch, Happy, Lucy and Mira. When his eyes landed on the barmaid, Bardock wanted to be sure she wasn't hurt at all. It was the least he could do.

"You gonna be okay Mira?" Bardock asked.

The barmaid's face morphed into slight surprise before she smiled and nodded her head.

"I'll be alright. Thank you." She said sincerely.

He was definitely going soft. He eyed Mira a few seconds longer before grunting in acknowledgement. He looked towards the entrance of the guild hall and expanded his senses. Turns out there was a mass gathering of energy below the main floor of the building. Uncrossing his arms, Bardock walked forward, the group parting the way before following him. Mira decided to stay by Bardock's side as they made their way inside the ruined building.

* * *

 **Fairy Tail Guild Hall basement**

It was just as bad as Bardock thought. Even the interior was damaged pretty heavily. Whoever decided to wreck the guild hall must have had fun. Although Bardock wouldn't say it out loud, the building was a bit tacky in its design.

Mira led the way as Bardock along with Natsu and his team proceeded down the stairs. The basement had a similar design to the main floor of the guild hall with the obvious differences in terms of architecture. The Saiyan glanced around, seeing the usually jovial guild members now sulking, bitter, frustrated and most of all angry.

"Hey it's Bardock…"

"There's Natsu…"

"Erza and Gray are back?"

"They came back from their job already?"

Bardock was a tad bit annoyed with the complaints and bellyaching that was from the guild. Although the building had sentimental value, he wasn't shedding any tears. The more pressing matter was who attacked it and why. The Saiyan walked up to where a tipsy (possibly drunk) Makarov sat.

"Yo!" the old master greeted.

Mira stood off to the side near the master. Bardock took the forefront of the group with Natsu and Erza flanking his sides. The Saiyan Rebel crossed his arms and glared at the old mage.

"Master… we have returned." Erza announced.

"Good to have you back kiddos! The job was easy yes? No doubt with your skills you made quick work of those bandits!" Makarov told them with a slight laugh.

The man held up his drink as if he were doing a toast before downing it. He slammed his mug down before letting out a good burp and laughing.

"How can you be drinking at a time like this?! Our guild hall's been trashed!" Natsu roared angrily.

"Natsu has a point master. Do you not understand the situation we are in right now? This can't go unanswered." Erza stated in an anger laced tone.

Mira folded her hands in front of her and shifted nervously. Lucy had a clear look of concern as to what was happening. Makarov simply waved off the concern of the Dragon Slayer and the Knight.

"Oh relax children. It's just some brick, plaster and wood. Nothing to fuss over at all." Makarov told them dismissively.

The old man raised his mug but before drinking some more he glanced over to Erza.

"Besides child, no one was hurt. They attacked an empty building." He admitted before drinking some more.

While Fairy Alpha adopted looks of surprise, Bardock raised a brow.

( _"What are the odds… But then again this 'Phantom' is probably the same one I've been hearing rumors about for a while now."_ ) Bardock thought to himself.

"Empty?" Erza queried.

"It happened last night. According to the people I talked to, it happened an hour or two after I had locked up the guild hall for the night. No one was inside when the attack happened. So the fact that no one was hurt is the only good thing to come out of this mess." Mira answered.

"So now harm, no foul." Makarov cut in.

The old mage hopped off the table and started walking funnily towards another direction. Bardock narrowed his eyes, deciding to hold whatever comment he had to himself until the old man was out of range.

"Hey! We aren't done yet! Where the hell are you going?!" Natsu shouted in agitation.

"Nature is a callin' my boy! Don't wait up!" Makarov called back.

Bardock just rolled his eyes at the interaction. This was aggravating and downright embarrassing. The old man was making an ass out of himself to hide whatever his true emotions were. If he were a Saiyan, Bardock would have called him prideless and a weakling… then promptly knock him on his ass.

Natsu looked down at his right hand which had formed a tight fist. Happy stayed in place, a bit too distraught at what the master's message clearly was. Lucy walked over to Natsu and placed a hand on his shoulder. She frowned and didn't bother to look the Dragon Slayer in the eye. She was upset too but not by the master's behavior.

"How can he… Gramps knows it was them! And yet he doesn't do anything about it…" Natsu ground out.

"Believe me Natsu, he's just as angry as all of us but there's nothing we can do. Conflicts between guilds are forbidden. Think of everyone who would be involved, the cost would be too high." Mira told him.

Natsu let his fist fall to his side before looking away, trying to calm his rage. Happy looked upset while Gray crossed his arms and looked to a place on one of the walls. He shared the same opinion as Natsu. Erza bit her lip and bowed her head, realizing the situation they were in.

"If the master feels this way… we must honor his wishes by doing nothing." Erza said with great reluctance.

Bardock let off a low growl. Where was their damn pride?

( _"Then again they aren't Saiyan warriors. They're a bunch of fruit loops who do tricks for a living. Except those tricks can be deadly when applied a certain way."_ )

Not wanting to dwell on his current thoughts, Bardock needed information. Information that could help him figure just what the hell was going on.

"Mira I need to borrow you for a sec." Bardock promptly announced.

The barmaid's frown changed to a surprised expression as Bardock threw her over his shoulder before she could answer him. Fairy Alpha watched as the Saiyan Rebel strode over to where Team Shadow Gear sat.

* * *

 **A Few minutes later**

"What can you tell me about this 'Phantom'? Who or what exactly are they?" Bardock queried.

Levy had sent her teammates away to go talk to Gray, Elfman or possibly another guild member. Mira sat a few a feet away from her. Given how small the table was the trio was in close proximity of each other. Levy looked to Mira before looking over to Bardock and tilting her head.

"You mean… you don't know?" Levy asked in return.

Bardock narrowed his eyes and slowly shook his head. Levy and Mira both adopted frowns as they traded glances. Now wanting to waste the usually impatient warrior's time, Levy started off the impromptu brief to bring Bardock up to speed.

"They're called Phantom Lord. Like us they're a light guild, who abides by the rules set by other guild masters and the Magic Council. We don't know when and we don't really know why but they've always been our rivals." Levy explained.

"The Master and older members of the guild remembers what started it but they never tell us." Mira said.

Bardock nodded at what he was told so far. Seemed easy enough, a rivalry finally reaching a breaking point where someone was bound to cross the line.

"Although we're much stronger than Phantom Lord as a whole, they have the advantage in terms of numbers. Plus their master is a wizard saint just like ours." The barmaid added.

Bardock hummed and looked away. So they had a wizard saint too?

( _"So to sum it up, Fairy Tail's got a big fight coming up soon? From the way I see it, Phantom Lord pretty much shit on the old man's porch and insulted his pride. Not only that, those guys are probably wanting to start a battle they can't win anyways. Looks like those rumors proved to be mostly true. I have all I need here."_ )

Bardock smirked to himself and closed his eyes. He let out a low chuckle that confused the female mages. He stood up from his seat before deciding to make his way to the stairs.

"Bardock?" Levy questioned in slight confusion.

"Hang on, where are you going?" Mira prompted with a frown.

The Saiyan Rebel stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Based on what you told me, there's nothing to worry about. Before this all I had were rumors. Now? I think we'll be just fine."

The Saiyan looked back to the stairs. He continued walking his way out but now before he sent a parting wave over his shoulder to the two mages.

"Now, if you ladies excuse me I got training to get back to." He said as he ascended the stairs.

As Bardock left, both mages traded glances of confusion. They didn't even get to tell Bardock about Phantom Lord's strongest mages. But the man just admitted that he heard rumors so it contradicted his earlier statement of knowing anything.

"Honestly that man…" Levy said with a sigh.

"But… he does have a point. With him on our side I don't think we have to worry about anything." Mira told her with a small smile.

"Even so, I'd rather we not fight anyone. It's like you told Natsu and the others, the damage would be too great." Levy said with a worried frown.

"True…"

* * *

 **Lucy's Apartment**

 **Night**

Everyone in the guild had gone their separate ways as the day went on. Natsu had left with Happy to clear his head with some fishing. Gray decided to head home and rest up a bit, not really wanting to do much for the day. Erza decided to hang back for a bit and talk to Mira, Cana and Levy. Plus she needed sweets to ease her nerves.

By the time night had fallen, Lucy walked alongside Plue. The blonde was proud that her magic reserves wasn't mitigated or strained in any way when she called the Celestial Dog. The blonde also came far when summoning her spirits in rapid succession. She hadn't reached the level to where she could call two spirits at once, given that was the max for all celestial mages but that was her goal. Plus she wanted to make her mom proud and be a strong, kind mage who fought for what they believed in.

After her training had began, Lucy worked on her physical capacities with Erza and Natsu, the best teachers she could ask for when it came to hand to hand combat. She expected Bardock to step in but to her disappointment he wanted to focus more on Natsu. He further explained to her that everyone had strengths and weaknesses that needed to be worked on. Plus Natsu was most similar to Bardock given their similarities in combat. Natsu thrived on fighting for his friends and that's what ultimately made him stronger at the end of the day. That's what help Natsu surpass the others.

Lucy would have called favoritism but Bardock cut her off and told her that he was open to helping her when the time came. She just needed to work hard and once he saw enough improvement he would help her out. Not wanting to argue, Lucy agreed to it and busted her ass for a month. And damn did she feel good.

Back to the present, Lucy reminisced with Plue as she strolled down the usual path to her apartment. She talked about all the friends she's made, all the hard work she's put in and how much she admires Natsu. She couldn't feel more blessed to be in Fairy Tail. And as Lucy was voicing something similar to those thoughts…

"Fairy Tail really is…"

Lucy opened the door to see her teammates in her home.

"…the best!" she exclaimed in comical shock.

"What's up!" Gray greeted from the chair.

"Aye! We're back!" Happy spoke as he stood atop the table.

"Good evening Lucy. I definitely approve of this place." Erza complimented approvingly.

Natsu sulked as he sat cross legged on the floor nearby. With his chin resting in his palm, the Dragon Slayer used his free hand to wave at his partner. She returned the wave with reluctance before turning her attention to everyone else.

"Okay… I'll bite. Why are all of you in my apartment?" Lucy asked with an exasperated look.

Erza, who was dressed in casual clothing for once, crossed her arms as Gray and Happy ate. Natsu looked out the window, keeping an ear open and trying his best to keep a clear head.

"Given what happened with Phantom Lord myself and the master deduced it's highly likely they know the address of every guild member within Fairy Tail, minus Bardock of course." Erza informed her.

Lucy gasped at that. Wasn't Phantom Lord a light guild though? Were they really not above ambushing members of light guilds? The blonde had heard stories of how deep the rivalry between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord ran. Hell, she asked Mira about it and the barmaid was only able to give her recent accounts seeing as the rivalry was before even her time of joining the guild.

"Mira thought it would be a good idea that we be in small groups. That way should anything happen we could defend ourselves or possibly hold until backup arrived." Gray added.

"I see…"

Lucy took off her shoes and rolled her suitcase behind her.

"Well don't make too much of a mess guys, I'm going to shower and go to bed so try to keep the noise down." Lucy advised with a smile.

That was her plan. Until a certain feline ruined it.

"Hey Erza check it out! Lucy's sexy undies!"

The moment Happy said those words, Natsu and Lucy blushed furiously. Erza walked over to the cat as he handed her one of Lucy's more risqué set of panties. Once Erza got a good look at them, a light blush came over her face.

"O-Oh my! You… actually wear these? They're incredible!" Erza stammered.

Lucy hid her blushing face in her hands. Natsu stood up from his spot and made his way towards the bathroom, which he had to access by going into Lucy's room.

"On that note I'm taking a shower Luce." Natsu said as he passed her by.

"You know where the towels are, go ahead." Lucy told him.

As Natsu went past Erza and into the bathroom, once the door was locked, Erza and Gray looked at Lucy with surprised looks. She poked her fingers together and avoided looking them in the eye.

"Well… Natsu and Happy like to come over a lot. I figured this be a nice place for them to crash after jobs as long as they helped out so…" Lucy tried to explain.

Erza smiled a bit and nodded in understanding. With swift speed she appeared next to Gray and brought him in for a half hug.

"You worked up quite a bit of sweat Gray. Since Natsu's not here, let's bathe together just like we used to as kids. It will help strengthen our bonds for the future." Erza suggested.

The ice mage blushed and had several beads of sweat run down his face as he nervously tried to scoot away from the knight. He did not need to be reminded of those days at all.

"N-No thanks I'll pass…" Gray politely declined.

* * *

 **Later on…**

Lucy entered her bedroom, yawning as she held a sleeping Happy in her arms. She spotted Natsu, dressed in his usual clothes sitting by the window. He was leaning back with his hands folded behind his head. The blonde mage set the sleeping feline down on the bed before sitting on the side of the bed she usually slept on.

Her thoughts were still pretty active after what she had learned. Lucy had done research on Phantom Lord before but she wasn't able to find much information other than the fact they were the second best guild in the kingdom. After Fairy Alpha had conducted hygiene, Lucy posed questions to the others.

Phantom Lord was led by a Wizard Saint, a title held by the ten strongest wizards recognized by the magic world and the Magic Council. This Wizard Saint's name was Jose Porla, a man who dabbled in the darker side of magic and was as shady as they come.

After Jose came his best mages, the five who were granted the title S-Class. The first was a shocker to Lucy because she figured Natsu would be the only one.

Gajeel Redfox aka Black Steel Gajeel.

Gajeel Redfox was the Iron Dragon Slayer of Phantom Lord. Like how Natsu was with fire being his fuel, Gajeel's greatest source of nourishment for his magic was Iron. Could he eat other metals too?

Next came the group that Gajeel unofficially led: The Elemental 4.

The Elemental 4 was made up of mages who each represented a respective element. The Elemental 4 were also the other S-Class mages of Phantom Lord. Not much more information could be provided however. Like Gajeel, the Elemental 4 flew under the radar while simultaneously getting the job done, leaving only whispers and rumors in their wake.

The last piece of information Lucy got was that Phantom Lord had more members than Fairy Tail to make up for the glaring power advantage. The blonde replayed the information in her mind, her gut still wrenched with a bit of worry. She absentmindedly ran a hand through Happy's fur as he rested.

"Natsu…?" Lucy whispered.

"Hm?" Natsu hummed in response.

They sat in silence for a while. The only light left on in the apartment was the small lamp by Lucy's bed, which was located on the side Natsu sometimes slept on. Natsu got up and oriented his chair so that he was facing the bed. Although the others were letting their guard down he wouldn't. He had been training his senses as well as his magic and his body for the past month. Nothing was getting past him.

Natsu sat back down, crossed his arms and leaned back, his head touching the wall inches away from the frame of the window. His face was turned so it looked like he was trying to look out of the window.

"Do you think Phantom Lord might attack again?" Lucy asked.

Natsu stayed silent. Lucy tensed up before looking at him. Her worried frown never left her face.

"It's just… I know we can win if we fought. But the thing's that's bothering me is what Erza said. They picked now to attack us. Now of all times when they've had the opportunity before. Why would they do something like this? It doesn't add up." She elaborated.

Natsu sighed and finally looked to his partner. She was wearing a t-shirt and sleep shorts, her hair undone. Funnily enough, the Dragon Slayer swore it got a bit longer. His brows furrowed as he tilted his head down to look at the floor.

"It doesn't matter why. They attacked a place that a lot of us called home or at least home away from home. The way I see it if they want some, I'll turn them all to ashes. No one messes with Fairy Tail. And no one sure as hell messes with my family." He told her.

The tone in his voice scared Lucy a little. She had never seen Natsu get this serious except maybe twice. The first time was on Galuna. The second time was during the test Bardock put the team through. Natsu was very protective and still had a short fuse when it came to certain things. Letting out a sigh, Lucy got to her feet and walked over to Natsu. Lucy folder her hands behind her back before leaning over into Natsu's space. The Dragon Slayer didn't expect this so he leaned further into the wall with a nervous expression. Lucy eyed him suspiciously before standing up straight and folding her arms under her bust.

"You shouldn't wear that expression too much you know. It'll ruin your handsome face Dragon Boy." She said with a slight blush.

Natsu's face lit up a bit and he looked away from his partner, finding the floor to be very interesting. Was that mahogany wood?

Lucy smiled and shook her head before turning on her heel and walking to her bed. Just as she reached the edge, she looked over her shoulder.

"You coming or what Natsu? I have to watch your back to you know. Plus it isn't comfortable sleeping in a chair."

The Dragon Slayer was reluctant to leave his spot. He was just pulling security for the team in case Phantom decided to send its goons after them. But then again…

( _"She is right. Although I can practically sleep anywhere, her bed is much more comfy."_ ) Natsu thought with a growing smile.

No longer indecisive, Natsu stood to his feet and kicked off his sandals as he approached the bed. Lucy smiled and settled into her side, careful not to awake Happy was resting at the foot of the bed. Natsu flopped down next to her, careful not to take up too much space. He switched the lamp off and folded his hands behind his head. Lucy turned so that she was lying on her side and facing her partner. She smiled and yawned before her eyes drew to a slow close.

"Goodnight Natsu…" Lucy mumbled.

"Night Luce…" Natsu whispered.

* * *

 **Bardock's House**

The Saiyan Rebel flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know what tomorrow would bring.

This whole Phantom-Fairy rivalry seemed ridiculous. From Bardock's view it seemed that Phantom Lord was more of a dark guild if anything. They were made up of individuals with questionable backgrounds and not only that their boss was shady as hell. It was clear that he wanted more than to be second best. Bardock could understand to a degree. No one wanted let the spotlight shine too bright on someone who was underserving of all the power and praise.

Bardock then recalled what he knew about Phantom Lord's strongest members. They were the counter to Natsu's team yet they had been together a bit longer. The Saiyan Rebel figured if both teams were to fight, the edge would go to Natsu's team. Granted, there was little information he knew about any of the Elemental 4, Bardock would still believe that Natsu and his team could get the job done and win. As for their unofficial leader…

( _"An Iron Dragon Slayer… that's how it should be. Just like how us Saiyans would duke it out with each other. If it comes down to it, a fight against Gajeel should be the best test for Natsu's newfound power."_ )

Bardock's aching body reminded him that he needed rest. He had trained since returning home from the guild many hours prior. A month's worth of work in the Gravity Chamber and Bardock was close to reaching 250 times Earth's (or Earth Land in this case) Gravity. No longer wanting to dwell on random thoughts and petty rivalries, Bardock closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **Bardock's Vision**

 **Age 762, November 3** **rd**

 **Earth**

The Saiyan Rebel slowly awoke to see a blue sky. His mind was confused for a moment before he remembered one key detail…

( _"Another vision… typical."_ ) The Saiyan thought with an irritated grunt.

Bardock slowly rose to his feet, stretching while doing so. He looked around and based on observation he was back on Earth. The last time he was here he had seen both his sons die. But the mystery Saiyan assured Bardock that Goku would be revived by a set of magical orbs known as the Dragon Balls. That way Goku would come back just in time to fight…

"Uh-oh…" Bardock muttered in realization.

The scarred Saiyan took off into the sky. He couldn't interact with other people in his visions but he could still move about as an unseen spectator. Bardock sensed out the highest power levels on the planet and locked in on them in a matter of seconds. There was Vegeta and Nappa, who were dead giveaways. Then after that…

( _"Kakarot's allies… Let's see how they measure up to battle tested Saiyan warriors."_ )

Bardock landed on a nearby cliff and crossed his arms. He watched the scene play out. It started when the bald one, Krillin, joined the Namekian and Goku's son. Bardock felt his heart swell at the sight of the half breed offspring of his youngest son. Bardock knew of course of Gohan's existence but that ache in his chest was going to persist.

Shaking off his pride as a family man, Bardock watched everything continue.

The arrival of Vegeta and Nappa…

The Saibamen making an appearance…

And lastly the arrival of Earth's defenders…

( _"Bout damn time."_ ) Bardock regarded with a snort.

The Saiyan Rebel then heard how Vegeta wanted to make things interesting. The Saiyan Prince setup a tournament style bout between the Z-Fighters and the Saibamen. Yamcha went first, his being oozing with confidence and a bit of cockiness.

Bardock took note that this fight was being broadcasted which likely meant people important to each of Earth's warriors were watching. And knowing how strong Vegeta and Nappa were, until Kakarot arrived, each warrior was at the mercy of the Saiyan Prince and the last surviving Saiyan General.

Bardock watched as Yamcha fought with great skill against the first of the Saibamen. The lone, disposable grunt was unable to do any damage to the former bandit. Yamcha was stronger, faster and just overall too much. But Bardock noticed something in the former bandit's eyes that would be his undoing… overconfidence.

As Yamcha turned his back on his opponent, Bardock cursed under his breath when he realized his intuition had come true. The first Saibamen had wrapped himself around Yamcha's midsection. The scarred Z-Fighter could only scream in horror as the Saibamen detonated in an act of kamikaze.

"Yamcha!" Krillin screamed.

( _"And so this is how it starts…"_ ) Bardock grimly noted.

Goku's best friend confirmed everyone's worst fears not a moment later. Bardock overheard the Namekian criticize Yamcha for his carelessness and cockiness, matching exactly what the Saiyan was thinking. Sure it was in poor taste but from what the visions showed of Goku's adventures, Yamcha was the type of warrior who would get full of himself. A waste of potential…

Things only got worse when Vegeta let Nappa off the leash. The Saibamen had fallen to the onslaught of the Z-Fighters who were eager to defend their home and avenge their comrade. But things were about to get much worse.

Tien took the full brunt of Nappa's strength, losing part of his left arm in the process. While Vegeta had made some joke, which although morbid was hilarious. Nappa had battered Tien and while the human was struggling to rise from the ground he and the remaining Z-Fighters made an awful discovery. Chaiotzu, Tien's best friend and longtime partner had attached himself to Nappa's unguarded back. Bardock didn't know what was going on and how the shorty managed to communicate with the triclops but this scene was something he had only seen a few times. A sacrifice so that others may live.

"Please…Tien. Stay alive." Chaiotzu said with a smile.

An explosion enveloped the hulking Saiyan General, smoke obscuring everyone from the carnage. Tien could only watch in horror as his best friend gave his life for the planet and his friends.

"CHAIOTZUUUUU!" Tien screamed in anguish.

Bardock lowered his head. Shorty had acted honorably and did his best to try and stop Nappa. Granted his sacrifice was in vain due to how strong Nappa was. That was all too evident when said hulking Saiyan reappeared, clad only trunks, boots and armored gloves. Both Vegeta and Nappa mocked Chaiotzu's sacrifice. That in turn angered Tien who summoned every ounce of power in his body and aimed his hand at Nappa.

"Tri-Beam! HAAAAAA!"

The attack connected. The Z-Fighters had seen this picture before and it produced the same result. Nappa was hardly affected by the attack and all he did was grin at Tien, wondering the human entertaining him could do more.

"I'm… sorry Chaiotzu… I've failed…" Tien breathed out.

Tien's hand fell to his side and he fell to his knees before falling face first into the dirt. Tien's breathing slowed and then stopped. Death had claimed another Z-Fighter.

"Tien! Nooooooo!" Krillin exclaimed.

"Dammit!" Piccolo cursed.

"Oh no… Mr. Tien…" Gohan whimpered.

Bardock then watched as his grandson proved to be useless in the fight. It was up to the Namekian and Krillin to handle the Saiyan General who had been responsible for a good sized body count since making planet fall. They had worked together, hoping to outsmart the massive alien warrior but it was all for naught. Nappa overpowered both warriors and was ready to finish of the monk before Gohan intervened. Bardock looked in surprise and a little bit of worry. The plus side was that Bardock's grandson was not a coward. The minus… he managed to piss off someone much stronger than he was. Nappa decided to hit Gohan with a full force **Bomber DX** to send a message. Bardock tensed up, hoping the boy would move. He had seen glimpses of everyone's training in preparation for Vegeta and Nappa. Hell, he even saw Kakarot's training under the one known as King Kai.

But Bardock watched as the attack made its way to his grandson who was too scared to do anything. But the Saiyan Rebel watched stunned as the Namekian, his grandson's mentor, took full brunt of the blast.

Bardock grimaced as he saw his grandson get on his hands and knees and crawl over to the fallen Namekian. The Saiyan Rebel mused the two must have developed a deep bond over the course of a year and he couldn't help but sympathize with his grandson at the moment. Bardock too had seen comrades die and it never got any easier. He just hid it better than others.

"Mr. Piccolo… please don't leave me." Gohan whimpered.

The half-Saiyan boy looked ready to cry. He never wanted his Dad's friends to die. He didn't want his mentor and teacher to die too. Why was the world so cruel?

"Damn brat… I thought I told you to run." Piccolo cursed under his breath.

The Namekian coughed up some blood, some of it running down the corner of his mouth.

"So this is how it ends huh?" Piccolo asked no one in particular

The dying Namekian regarded his student for a moment before his look had softened. Dying hurt… it hurt a lot. But deep down… it felt good to die fighting for something other than himself and his goals.

"Before I go there's something you need to know." Piccolo began.

Gohan watched in saddened confusion as the Namekia started to voice what was coming from his heart.

"For so long your Father and I were enemies. When he died I figured I could take my revenge with you also. But over time when I- *cough* started training you, I actually started to enjoy it."

Bardock, even though a great distance away, could tell that the Namekian was sharing an admission with the Saiyan's grandson. The Saiyan Rebel lowered his head and closed his eyes. The Namekian was more than honorable by his standards. He jumped in to save Bardock's grandson from certain death. Not only that the Namekian had filled the hole Kakarot left in his unfortunate passing during the battle with Radditz.

Bardock then noticed with a grimace that his own grandson had gotten emotional to the point where tears were streaming down his young face. That ache in Bardock's chest was back. He hated the feeling. He was a Saiyan warrior dammit.

"Your kindness made soft you damn brat… thank you."

"Piccolo…" Gohan said.

Gohan gasped as he saw genuine tears come out of Piccolo's eyes. The son of Goku had heard stories of Piccolo before. They had met briefly during the whole fiasco with Garlic Jr. prior to the arrival of Radditz. Piccolo was the offspring of King Piccolo, the most evil being to exist on Earth during Goku's earlier years on Earth prior to settling down with Chi-Chi. Sure Piccolo was strict, ruthless and nothing short of demanding. But Gohan had seen a different side of him.

This was not Piccolo, son of the great and mighty Demon King. This was Piccolo the mentor. Piccolo the brave and brilliant. And most of all he was Gohan's first true friend that wasn't a family member.

"Thank you for being my friend…" Piccolo thanked with a genuine smile.

Piccolo breathed his last before closing his eyes and embracing eternity. Gohan continued to silently cry before he edged his way close to the now deceased form of his mentor. The young half-Saiyan tried to shake Piccolo awake but didn't get any reactions. He shook him some more, his face now distressed and his crying getting a tad louder.

"Piccolo… no… NOOOOOOOOO!" Gohan screamed to the heavens.

As Gohan despaired at the passing of his mentor, unaware that Nappa was heading his way, with the intention of stomping him out of existence. Krillin cried out hoping that his best friend would arrive soon and save the day as always. Bardock tensed up a moment before his senses noticed something. Although it was slow to him, it was fast to the others. Bardock watched as a yellow cloud swooped in and transported his grandson out of the way of Nappa's foot. The hulking Saiyan glanced around in confusion before seeing his next victim on top of a golden cloud. Vegeta saw this and scowled a moment before his attention went elsewhere. The Prince of Saiyans smirked as he regarded the battlefield's newest and anticipated participant.

"Nimbus…" Gohan muttered.

The half-Saiyan still had tears going down his face but he realized something. If the Nimbus cloud was here that meant…

"Well, well look who finally decided to show up." Vegeta stated mockingly.

Gohan and Krillin looked around before their eyes landed on the hero they had been waiting for. Goku had finally made his way into the fight… and he was not happy. The Saiyan Hero walked over and knelt by the corpse of the Namekian, completely ignoring Nappa who decided to take a step back and let Goku observe the carnage.

After putting two fingers to Piccolo's pulse point on his neck, Goku trembled a bit in unbridled fury. He sent a silent prayer and a thank you to his former enemy before standing upright.

"Piccolo…"

Goku looked to see an old foe made friend also down. After getting a read on his energy, his worst fears were confirmed.

"Tien…"

Goku's eyes widened a bit when he spotted the orange clad body sitting in the depressed Earth.

"Yamcha…!"

Goku's fists were clenched to the point where his knuckles were white. He was angry. Angry with himself for not getting back in time. And most of all he was angry at the so called monsters who had killed so many innocent people and taken the lives of his friends.

"Hehe hey now, don't forget about the little brat that was with 'em. Little man couldn't even do the job right." Nappa informed him with a chuckle.

Goku tilted his head forward, his power surging throughout his being. That was the last straw!

"No… Chaiotzu…" Goku uttered through gritted teeth.

Goku's feet and arms shifted, the Saiyan Hero now moving to a power up stance. He had planned on gauging his opponents first before fighting them all out. That was no longer a plan. He failed his friends and the planet. He would not fail again!

"No… No! That's it! I will avenge everyone!" Goku declared.

The winds shifted and the grounds trembled. Goku's hair stood all the way up as his aura outlined his body instead of exploding into a glorious flame.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The Saiyan Hero roared.

Vegeta was smirking a bit longer until it vanished once his scouter beeped. He checked the reading before a look of surprise took his face.

"What… it can't be!"

Nappa's own smirk from earlier vanished a look of confusion took over as he looked over his shoulder to his prince. Something must have been up. Bardock meanwhile was immensely enjoying this. Looks like Kakarot had the prince a bit rattled.

"Eh? Vegeta?"

The Saiayn Prince took off his scouter slowly, his displeasure evident. The veins in Vegeta's forehead pulsed as the Prince of all Saiyans let his legendary temper show.

"His power level… it's over 9000!" Vegeta angrily informed him.

It was at that moment Vegeta's temper got the better of him and he crushed his scouter in a fit of rage. Nappa of course was shocked. When did the low-class warrior get to such a level of strength?

"What?! 9000?!" Nappa exclaimed.

Not too long after that, Goku stopped powering up. He stood up straighter, tall, proud and furious ready to make the Saiyans pay for their actions. It was at that moment Krillin and Gohan realized that there was still a chance at victory. Goku was here now and he could very well turn the tide of the battle.

Bardock for one was immensely proud of his son. In only a year he increased his strength to surpass the Saiyan General and even rattle the prince. But the Saiyan Rebel knew the fight had only just begun…

* * *

 **End of Vision**

 **The Next Morning**

 **Magnolia Outskirts**

 **Bardock's Home**

Bardock's eyes shot wide open and he quickly sat up, throwing the covers off his person. He took in several breaths as sweat poured off his form. The visions were never that long or that intense. But his visions were beginning to change. Before it had been snippets giving a brief but clear picture into his youngest son's life and adventures. Now the visions offered more. What did it mean?

Regardless, it seems his son had his hands full. Kakarot… the youngest outclassing Nappa and possibly The Prince of all Saiyans? Bardock smirked and let out a low chuckle.

( _"Heh… Good luck Prince Vegeta. You'll need it."_ )

Checking the clock by his bed, Bardock realized he had overslept by a couple of hours. Luckily it was still the time frame for breakfast but he would be missing out on training. He was hoping today would be the day he would reach and eventually surpass 250 times normal gravity. But then again he did train last night. Maybe he could check in at the guild and train after?

With his mind made up, Bardock got out of bed and conducted hygiene before getting dressed and eating breakfast. After almost an hour since waking up, Bardock strolled out the door as he tied his headband. The Saiyan Rebel then looked to the sky, it was sunny with some passing clouds. Although he hated all this peace and softness, Bardock's soul felt a bit more calm than usual. This world was changing him. Was it for better or for worse? Only time would tell and maybe after all was said and done… he'd look back and see if he was a good a man as everyone thought.

Typical scowl now in place the Saiyan Rebel's feet left the ground as he went into the air. His eyes fixed on Magnolia, Bardock was now ready to see where the day would take him.

"Time to head out."

Like before, Bardock zoomed into Magnolia's airspace in no time at all and slowed as he reached the outer edge of the city. But something caught the Saiyan's senses that made him halt. The alien warrior narrowed his eyes as he zoned in on the massive gathering of energy within the city.

( _"Wait a minute… that can't be right. Everyone isn't at the guild hall. They're gathered somewhere in town… along with a bunch of civilians."_ ) Bardock observed

Something else bothered the scarred Saiyan. Within the gathering of energy that he sensed, there were three notably weakened energies. One of which he recognized…

Eyes widening in realization at who this energy belonged to, Bardock narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"I'm checking it out."

The Saiyan landed in the city and took off for where he estimated all the people would be. The last time Bardock looked at Magnolia's map, the closest thing to where all these people were located was Magnolia South Gate Park. With a sense of urgency, Bardock left the ground again, this time hopping from rooftop to rooftop to speed up the transit time. Within a minute or so, Bardock finally reached the Park and landed behind several civillians. Ignoring the shocked and surprised looks of Magnolia's citizens, Bardock surged his way forward, nerves on edge. He finally found his way out of the crowd and behind Fairy Alpha. But in front of them, seemingly crucified on the tree were…

"No…"

Natsu, who had been comforting a distraught Lucy while trying to rein in his anger, snapped his head to the rear, his face in an expression of surprise. Erza, Happy and Gray shared Natsu's expression as they were just as surprised as he was to see their mentor and fellow guild member here. They figured he would have been here sooner or at least prevented this horrible incident from occurring.

"Levy…" Bardock uttered.

Team Shadow Gear had been beaten, bruised, bloodied and left as a message on the large tree. In the middle, the petite young woman had taken the brunt of whatever beating her and her teammates received. Her clothes were ripped and ruined and just above her navel and below her bust… was the mark of Phantom Lord.

The Saiyan Rebel growled audibly enough to startle those around him. He didn't care if a nosey ass civilian or some random Fairy Tail member was nearby… he was pissed. Bardock's hair started to shift upwards as his legendary temper made gave way. And as Bardock's temper flared so did his power. Static and bits of lightning based Ki radiated off of Bardock's form. His aura outlined his body as the scarred Saiyan never let his gaze fall off the unconscious form of Levy.

She was one of the first people he met here to show him kindness. She was the one who offered a spot on her team. She more than happily volunteered to help with Fairy Alpha's training. The more time she spent around him… the more he had come to accept her friendship and kinship.

Bardock's muscles tensed as he couldn't stop letting his power skyrocket. Just as he was about ready to just the floodgates open… a gentle hand touched his shoulder. Stopping his version of venting, the Saiyan Rebel schooled his features and looked over his shoulder. It was Mira. He could tell she was upset if the look in her eyes were anything to go by. Bardock narrowed his eyes and shrugged off the Barmaid, not really caring with whatever she had to say. It could wait.

Bardock slowly left the ground before going over to the tree and prying off the metal nails keeping Levy in place. He blasted off the ones holding Jet and Droy, allowing them to fall into the waiting arms of Natsu and Gray. Bardock cradled Levy in his arms bridal style as his feet touched the ground. He idly noticed that Lucy had come to his front, the blonde wanting to check on her friend. The Celestial Mage had tears running down her face still. The Saiyan Rebel was visibly irritated by her weakness. He should have called her out on it but now wasn't the time. He hummed when he felt the blunette in his arms stir. Levy cracked her eyes open, just barely as both Bardock and Lucy came into view.

"Bar…Bardock…"

"Hey." The Saiyan grunted.

Lucy came into view and moved some hair out of Levy's face. Despite the pain she was in, Levy couldn't help but feel the warmth and love of seeing her friend.

"Lu…" Levy whimpered.

"I'm here. You're going to be fine Levy." Lucy assured her with a smile.

Lucy looked to Bardock to back her up. Levy also let her eyes fall on the alien warrior. The Saiyan Rebel felt a bit trapped. Why was it people looked to him? Well for one he had ruggedly good looks…

( _"How I manage that I will never know…"_ )

He was stronger than anyone here and obviously had a quality about him that people respected. Bardock really had to resist the urge to snort. The Fairy fruitcakes needs to watch themselves. If they put too much belief into him and he let them down…

After several seconds of random thoughts, Bardock's onyx eyes locked on to Levy's hazel colored ones. His scowl softened the tiniest bit, trying really hard not to show weakness.

"Save your strength. She's right, you'll be fine." Bardock affirmed with a nod.

Levy stared up at him a bit longer before she thickly swallowed. Everything hurt for her and she had to clench her eyes shut to try and ignore the pain.

"It was… it… was… Gajeel…" she croaked out.

Lucy couldn't hold back a gasp and Natsu, who was nearby, couldn't hold back a growl. Even Bardock seemed to tense up a bit. So the guild hall and the assault on Shadow Gear was his doing? The Saiyan Rebel knew that Natsu was going to take him on the first chance he got. It would be a battle between Dragon Slayers. But Bardock had every bit of confidence that Natsu would win. Bardock's face morphed into something that was more relatable to his personality. He looked down at Levy whose eyes widened a bit.

"We'll take care of it Levy. You get your beauty sleep. We need our resident book expert back soon got it?" Bardock told her with a smirk.

The blue haired teen couldn't help the slow, warm smile that graced her face. Even with the dried blood that ran down the right side, Levy was still beautiful. That, and Fairy Tail's favorite bookworm needed rest. Seeping into Bardock's warmth, she looked to the alien warrior once more as her eyes slowly closed.

"Sure… thing…" Levy murmured.

The usual confident smirk that Bardock displayed during his old days fell off his face. Macao, Mira and Lucy proceeded to take Levy out of his arms. The trio and several others were ready to transport Team Shadow Gear to the hospital… had it not been for the very angry guild master walking through a parted crowd. Everyone stopped as they saw the Wizard Saint and someone who could arguably be Fairy Tail's strongest member hold an impromptu staring contest. Natsu was off to the side staring hard at the ground trying to burn a hole in it. Erza, loyal as ever, had greeted her Master while standing off to Bardock's left. Gray had turned his body to the side, eyeing the guild master with a determined look.

"Old man." The Scarred Saiyan greeted.

Makarov didn't give a response to the greeting. Judging by the veins pulsing in Makarov's forehead and the sudden rise in magical power, the Saiyan Rebel deduced that the old wizard saint was just as pissed as he was. Makarov's eyes looked around, to the citizens and the members of Fairy Tail that he had considered his children. He then locked eyes with Bardock again.

"I can tolerate harmless pranks such as trashing our guild hall. Buildings can be rebuilt and replaced. But I for one will not stand by while my children suffer! Phantom has gone too far this time!" Makarov bellowed, shattering his cane.

The citizens of Magnolia had trembled a bit. They knew things were not going well based on the master's reaction. But the Fairy Tail mages that had gathered were of a different mindset. Since Phantom Lord had spilt blood and hurt one of their own, they would now adopt an old saying: "an eye for an eye". Even Lucy found her resolve, despite knowing the fact she probably wouldn't be involved in what was to come. Her strength was needed elsewhere.

The Fairy Tail mages gave nods and exclamations of agreement to the master's words. Once they had all calmed down, Makarov regarded Bardock with a gaze, given the Saiyan hasn't visibly reacted much since the greeting.

"You know what this means don't you Bardock?" Makarov queried.

The Saiyan Rebel stared at the old master a moment. Of course he knew. You don't shit on someone's yard, kick their dog and then write the big sign with the proverbial 'Fuck You' and just walk. No…

Bardock brought his fists up and slowly cracked his knuckles. Members of the crowd and members of Fairy Tail shifted back as they heard the Saiyan's bones audibly crack. Not only that, the look on his face spoke of one thing… a very calm yet violent rage.

"It's time for some payback." Bardock answered darkly.

It was on this day… Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord would go to war.

* * *

 **A/N: And done!**

 **Surprise! I updated this story before the others. And I humbly apologize but like I said previous chapter, the other two stories are being worked on.**

 **Anyways, yes, it took Bardock a month to reach 200 times normal Gravity. Why? One he needs to make a living so he can eat right. Two, who is going to challenge him? And three… he still needed to train Team Natsu. If he had less distractions, Bardock would have reached 300 or higher by now.**

 **This is literally the calm before the storm. As you know, Fairy Tail fights Phantom Lord. The four recently recruited by Phantom Lord are OCs inspired by four characters from a DC animated movie. You can take a guess as to which one I took inspiration from.**

 **As for the fights? That will be a surprise. Canon is mostly there, key word being 'mostly'. With Bardock involved there will be a change.**

 **As always you are amazing and the review section for your thoughts, opinions, criticisms, compliments and comments.**

 **See ya later!**


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